Lepidiolamprologus pleuromaculatus?

[Mark Smith]

Query to all interested:

The recently posted photo by Ad Konings of Lepidiolamprologus pleuromaculatus from Kizinga Kiriza at the Ubwari Peninsula, shows a fish that is substantially more slender than L. pleuromaculatus from the northeast coast of the lake. In addition, the color pattern in the fins, especially the dorsal fin, is quite different, particularly in the area of the hard spines. And, the body coloration appears to be different as well.

This specimen from the Ubwari Peninsula and the "classic" L. pleuromaculatus appear close, but may be two distinct species. This reminds me of the situation with Eretmodus sp. North and E. sp. Ubwari, two closely related, yet distinct species.

Anyone care to comment on this observation?

[Benoit]

Hi Mark, I see L. aff. attenuatus, not pleuromaculatus... For me these are two different species.

[Mark Smith]

Indeed. The body form is more L. attenuatus-like than L. pleuromaculatus. The eye size is quite large, even larger than that of the classic L. pleuromaculatus, and twice the size of that for L. attenuatus. Cryptic sibling species to either L. attenuatus and/or L. pleuromaculatus? or introgressive hybrid??