Tropheus moorii Boulenger, 1898Curator: Patrick Tawil. Last updated on 01-Jun-2010.
Original description as Tropheus moorii:
Subspecies:Taxonomic history:
Groupings:
Etymology: Named after one of the first collectors of African cichlids, J. E. S. Moore. Diagnosis: The true Tropheus moorii, whose name was at a time given to any Tropheus except T. duboisi, comprises specimens with light pastel colors over a background bluish gray to yellowish (while it is mainly brownish to black in most other members of the genus). The juvenile pattern, still visible on females and sub-dominant males, consists of very thin vertical bars, along the body and on the face, often interrupted in adults. Spots of the same color as the lateral and head bars are visible on the face of the juveniles, usually becoming tiny dots covering the whole head in adults. The dorsal fin is light in coloration. No broad chest band, but a light whitish to orange patch is often present on the flanks. Size: As most members of the genus, reaches 12-14 cm in TL (Total Length), females are smaller. Common names: Several names have been used in the past, for example "sunset moorii" for the typical Tropheus moorii moorii from Mpulungu, or "red rainbow" for the southeastern populations (Kambwimba), and "yellow rainbow" for the southwestern ones (Kabeyeye). The "blue rainbow" correspond to Tropheus moorii kasabae, from Chaitika. Type locality: Kinyamkolo (Mpulungu), Lake Tanganyika, Zambia. Distribution: The distribution of the authentic Tropheus moorii covers the major part of the southern rocky coasts of Lake Tanganyika, from Kisambali on the eastern part to as northerly as Moba on the western, with an interruption on the southwestern coast from Chilanga to Lunangwa, where it is replaced by Tropheus sp. 'red'. The very popular Tropheus from Ilangi is an intermediate form between the "yellow rainbow" Tropheus moorii of the western Zambian coast and the first Tropheus sp. 'red', and may be a fixed natural hybrid. It is here included in Tropheus moorii on the basis of the juvenile pattern (spots on the head). Inhabited countries: Congo, Democratic Republic (native), Tanzania (native), Zambia (native). Habitat: As other Tropheus of the Tropheus moorii type, inhabits the upper rocky zone free of sediments. Habitats: Cape Chaitika (Zambia), Chisanza (Zambia), Fulwe Rocks (Tanzania), Hinde B (Tanzania), Kala (Tanzania), Kapampa (Congo, Democratic Republic, native), Katoto (Zambia), Moliro (Congo, Democratic Republic, native), Mpulungu (Zambia, native), Nkamba Bay (Zambia). Feeding: Feeds from the rock algal bio-cover (aufwuchs). The squarish mouth with straight parallel jaws is identical to those of other members of the genus, except for Tropheus duboisi. Breeding: As other members of the genus, Tropheus moorii is a maternal mouth-brooder which produces a rather low number of eggs (usually from 6-20). In compensation, the pear-shaped eggs are among the largest in the family (7 mm in their longest diameter), giving birth to rather large and well developed young. The incubation period is basically 3 weeks, but often continues during several more weeks (up to 10), during which the young are released from time to time by the mother in sheltered areas and may feed inside their mother's mouth. The male does not take any part in the parental care and usually chases the female away immediately after the spawn, but in aquarium, he may tolerate her in the immediate surroundings of his territory. Aquaristics: Tropheus moorii does not differ markedly from its congeners in maintenance requirements in aquarium, except that it is a little bit less aggressive than Tropheus of brichardi types or Tropheus sp. 'black' (but this may vary considerably from one tank configuration to the next). In aquarium, males of all Tropheus species tend to defend their own territory, while linear hierarchies are found only in case of overcrowded small tanks. In order to observe their natural behavior in aquarium, Tropheus must be kept in small groups of several males and females in a large tank (at least 500 liters, but preferably 1000 liters or more) together with other tropheines such as Petrochromis or Simochromis. In smaller tanks, their murdering tendencies usually lead to the eradication of all subordinate males and females, unless the tank is markedly overcrowded. In some cases, when the sexes fit well together, they may be kept as a single pair, a situation which may last several months or years, until the male may finally kill his mate by frustration. Conservation: Tropheus moorii is evaluated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as (LC) Least Concern (2006). Tropheus moorii is an abundant species in the wild, but some varieties (such as the very popular "sunset" type from the Mpulungu surroundings) seems to show reduced size in imports, perhaps because of overfishing. Comments: The presence for decades of a Belgian scientific station at Uvira during the XXth century, and the fact that nearly all Tropheus are similar in morphology and meristics (except the easily distinguished T. duboisi and the then poorly known T. annectens) led to the erroneous idea that the true Tropheus moorii came from the northern part of the lake. That's why later taxonomic descriptions (T. duboisi, T. brichardi and T. moorii kasabae) were made diagnosing against Tropheus sp. 'black', rather than against the true Tropheus moorii moorii from Mbity Rocks and Kinyamkolo (Mpulungu). That's why Tropheus moorii kasabae was later given a full species status by Poll (1986). When it turned to be conspecific with the true Tropheus moorii, T. moorii kasabae was put into synonymy. Though, given its very distinctive and diagnosable features, it fully deserves a taxonomic designation at a sub-specific level, thus, in spite of the mistake which led to its description, the original designation is fully justified. Other pictures (15):
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