Unidentified Cichlids in Lake Nawampassa Uganda

[Greg Steeves]

Lee Newman's wonderful photos of fresh caught wild cichlids from Lake Nawampassa can to be discussed in this thread. Your thoughts are welcomed.

[Christophe de Medeiros]

Hi Greg
Wher can we find the pix?
xris

[Thomas Andersen]

http://www.cichlidae.info/section.php?n=ff&id=143

[Christophe de Medeiros]

Thanx alot
xris

[Greg Steeves]

Sorry, a reverse link would have helped. Thank you Thomas.

I think that #1 and #3 could be the same species and probally Harpagochromis.

[Dave Schumacher]

I think that #1, 3, and 5 all look like possibly the same species. Greg, did you see something that I missed that made you leave #5 off?

I also found it interesting that all of these are golden in color. Were they all caught at the same location?

[Greg Steeves]

Possibly #5 as well Dave. Maybe #2 a Young of that species? Any guess at a species?

[Dave Schumacher]

I think #2 is different. It isn't that much smaller than #1, and the eyes are golden rather than red. Also, the jaw structure is different. I know that can sometimes change with age/size, but like I said above, it isn't much smaller.

I have no guess on species, but for genus I would say Harpagochromis for #1, 3,and 5. For #2, possibly a Tridontochromis? I don't have the genus descriptions in front of me right now, but from what I remember, it seems like it would fit. I'm clueless on #4. All I know about it is I want a group of them.

[Greg Steeves]

Awesome observations Dave. I would guess Harpagochromis as well. 1-3-5 the premaxillary hump is prominant with the cranial slope being straight. In 2 the profile is slightly concave. #2 looks like a sp. "golden duck" to me. Some of the body markings on the other three are found on larger species of "golden duck" when not in dominant colouration so I really don't know. This led me to start thinking about the species we know from the Kyoga drainage. Help me out if I'm wrong and with the ones I'm missing.

Harpagochromis sp. "golden duck"-"Palissa black slick"
Prognathochromis (Tridontochromis) sp. "silver stiletto"
Astatotilapia latisfasciata
Allochromis sp. (possibly welcommi?)
Haplochromis sp. "ruby" (ruby green)
Astatotilapia barbarae
Paralabidochromis sp. "redfin piebald"
Astatotilapia nubila
Astatotilapia sp. "shovelmouth"
Harpagochromis worthingtoni
Harpagochromis sp. "torpedo kribensis"
Prognathochromis sp. "long snout"
Xystichromis sp. Flameback"
Haplochromis sp. "all red"

[Greg Steeves]

This abstract:

African Journal of Ecology
Volume 42 Page 59 - March 2004
doi:10.1111/j.0141-6707.2004.00492.x
Volume 42 Issue 1


Fish species and trophic diversity of haplochromine cichlids in the Kyoga satellite lakes (Uganda)
Dismas Mbabazi1, R. Ogutu-Ohwayo2, S. B. Wandera1 and Y. Kiziito3
Abstract

Prior to the 1980s, lakes Kyoga and Victoria previously supported an exceptionally diverse haplochromine fish fauna comprising at least 11 trophic groups. The species and trophic diversity in these lakes decreased when the introduced Nile perch depleted haplochromine stocks. From December 1996 to October 1998, we studied species and trophic diversity of haplochromine fishes in six satellite lakes without Nile perch in the Kyoga basin and compared them with the Kyoga main lake against historical data from Lake Victoria where Nile perch were introduced. Forty-one species were found in the study area, of which, the Kyoga satellite lakes contributed 37 species in comparison to only 14 from the Kyoga main lake. Analysis of trophic diversity based on 24 species that contained food material revealed seven haplochromine trophic groups (insectivores, peadophages, piscivores, algal eaters, higher plant eaters, molluscivores and detritivores) in the Kyoga satellite lakes in comparison to two trophic groups (insectivores and molluscivores) in the Kyoga main lake. Many of the species and trophic groups of haplochromines depleted by the introduced Nile perch in lakes Kyoga and Victoria still survive in the Kyoga satellite lakes. This is attributed to the absence of Nile perch in those lakes. Nile perch has been prevented from spreading into the satellite lakes by swamp vegetation that separate them from the main lakes. If these swamps prevent Nile perch from spreading into the lakes, it is possible to conserve fish species, especially haplochromines, which are threatened by introduction of Nile perch in the main lakes.

[Dave Schumacher]

Nile perch has been prevented from spreading into the satellite lakes by swamp vegetation that separate them from the main lakes. If these swamps prevent Nile perch from spreading into the lakes, it is possible to conserve fish species, especially haplochromines, which are threatened by introduction of Nile perch in the main lakes.

I can understand that a 6 foot perch can't swim through the dense swamp vegetation, while the smaller haplochromines ARE able to, but what keeps the juvenile perch from passing through? Do you have the whole paper, Greg?

[Dave Schumacher]

The more I look at #4, the more I think Xystichromis.

[Greg Steeves]

I don't have the whole paper but would love to read it.

[Christophe de Medeiros]

Hi I would say that like Dave & Greg, the #1 and # 3 looks the same to me and seems to belong to the Harpagochromis genus perhaps dentex species
the #2 seems an open water cichlid to me(it has great similarities with the silver arrow hap discovered in the Victoria Nile by Les Kaufamnn)
the#4 seeems an insectivore
the latest is a Piscivore too of the harpagochromis genus perhaps wothingtoni species
xris

[Christophe de Medeiros]

hi
Astatoreochromis alluaudi
Harpagochromis sp. "golden duck"-"Palissa black slick"
Prognathochromis (Tridontochromis) sp. "silver stiletto"
Astatotilapia latisfasciata
Allochromis sp. (possibly welcommei?)
Haplochromis sp. "ruby" (ruby green)
Astatotilapia barbarae(only in Victoria nile)
Paralabidochromis sp. "redfin piebald"
Astatotilapia nubila
Psamochromis sp. "shovelmouth"
Harpagochromis cf worthingtoni=Harpagochromis sp. "torpedo kribensis"
Prognathochromis sp. "long snout"
Xystichromis(I'm not sure it's a Xystichromis) sp. Flameback Kyoga=Haplochromis sp. "all red" Kyoga
Pyxichromis orthostoma
Harpagochromis cf dentex
Haplochromis"Lipochromis" red parvidens
Xystichromis.nuchisquamulatus
H.sp"silver arrow"
H sp"blue para"
H.sp"black para"
H.bayoni
H.phytophagus
H sp"obesus"like

Neochromis simotes and the 4 endemic species from the "yellow zone"in Victoria nile
N.lemon rufocaudalis
P.lemon britti
Mbipia sp"lemon"
Neochromis"sp lemon"
xris

[Greg Steeves]

Fantastic information Chris...thank you.

[Michael.NEGRINI]

Hi all,

#1 & #3 closely looks a like a fish I had in my tanks some years ago as Harpagochromis sp. "Torpedo Kribensis" (aka Harpagochomis cf. worthingtoni). Unfortunately, i've not seen this fish again for years.

Here is pic of a young mature male in the aquarium (coloration at its best):

[Greg Steeves]

Beautiful fish Michael. There is a lot of resemblance! IS anyone working with this species today?

[JasonS]

Nile perch has been prevented from spreading into the satellite lakes by swamp vegetation that separate them from the main lakes. If these swamps prevent Nile perch from spreading into the lakes, it is possible to conserve fish species, especially haplochromines, which are threatened by introduction of Nile perch in the main lakes.

I can understand that a 6 foot perch can't swim through the dense swamp vegetation, while the smaller haplochromines ARE able to, but what keeps the juvenile perch from passing through? Do you have the whole paper, Greg?

I recall some suggestions nile perch are more intolerant of hypoxia than haplochromines; thus the marsh/swamp areas may serve as a refuge and barrier to distribution.

[Dave Schumacher]

Thanks Jason. That makes more sense then.