Tribe Ectodini

The reproduction mode of Xenotilapia sp. "red princess“: maternal or bi-parental mouthbrooder?

Xenotilapia sp. "red princess" couple in the aquarium, male in the front Photo by Thomas Andersen. Determiner Thomas Andersen

The German Siegfried Loose has spawned Xenotilapia sp. "red princess" and states in his paper that it’s a maternal mouthbrooder with an incubation period of 18-21 days (Loose 2004). That is quite surprising, considering that the sexual dimorphism is very weak. The only differences between the otherwise equally colored sexes, are that males have slightly more red in the dorsal and the caudal fin, and the female being slightly smaller with a more rounded head. In all Xenotilapia species where the mode of reproduction is known, the maternal mouthbrooders consist of more or less colored males and silvery colored females and the bi-parental mouthbrooders of equally colored males and females.

Observations in the natural habitat of Xenotilapia sp. "red princess" in Chituta Bay have shown that they always move around alone or in very low numbers (pairs?) and never in large foraging schools (Ammelrooy, pers. com.) as seen in the maternal mouthbrooding Xenotilapia species.

Further observations on the reproduction mode in the Lake or in captivity are needed to either confirm the maternal mouthbrooding or the possibility of bi-parental mouthbrooding in Xenotilapia sp. "red princess".

A discussion of this topic can be found in the Cichlid Room Companion Forum.

References:

• Loose, S.; 2004; "Die "Rote Prinzessin" aus dem Tanganjikasee: Eine neue Xenotilapia-Art?"; Deutsche Cichliden Gesellschaft- Informationen; v. 35; n.10; pp. 229-231 (crc01131).

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