Type species: Cunningtonia longiventralis Boulenger, 1906
Cunningtonia longiventralis male at Kachese, Zambia. Photo by Ad Konings. Determiner Ad Konings |
Distinctive characters:
- Body deep, 2.6 - 3 times as long as high, with a convex dorsal profile.
- Dorsal XII-XIV, 13-15. Anal III, 8-10. Ventral fins prolonged with outer rays reaching to the caudal fin in adult males. Caudal fin cresentric, with more or less filamentous lobes.
- Scales small with 35-41 scales along the longitudinal line.
- Two lateral lines.
- Lower pharyngeal bone triangular, covered densely with small cuspid teeth.
- Mouth final, broad and transverse, with fine tricuspid teeth, arranged in many rows forming a broad band on each jaw.
- The color of the body is silvery to bluish in males, and silver with dark blotches in females.
- Total length 14 cm.
Species currently included:
Cunningtonia longiventralis Boulenger, 1906
Type locality:
Niamkolo, Zambia
Synonyms:
None
Link to Cunningtonia longiventralis in the CRC Catalogue.
Remarks on taxonomic status:
The molecular analyses of Koblmüller et al. (2004) showed that the mono-typic genus Cunningtonia form a subclade within the Ophthalmotilapia-clade, together with the genera Aulonocranus, Ectodus and Lestradea, and that Cunningtonia longiventralis may form a species-pair together with Aulonocranus dewindti. Cunningtonia differ primarily from the species in the genus Ophthalmotilapia by the presence of fine tricuspid teeth, tightly set in many rows forming a broad band on each jaw, like seen in species of the genus Petrochromis.
References (3):
- Boulenger, George Albert. 1906. "Fourth Contribution to the Ichthyology of Lake Tanganyika - Report on the collection of fishes made by Dr. W. A. Cunnington during the third Tanganyika Expedition, 1904-1905". Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. [17, Part 6](1):537-619. DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1905.tb000 (crc00004)
- Koblmüller, Stephan & W. Salzburger, C. Sturmbauer. 2004. "Evolutionary relationships in the sand-dwelling cichlid lineage of Lake Tanganyika suggest multiple colonization of rocky habitats and convergent origin of bipartental mouthbrooding". Journal of Molecular Evolution. 58(1):79-96. DOI: 10.1007/s00239-003-2527-1 (crc01117) (abstract)
- Poll, Max. 1986. "Classification des Cichlidae du lac Tanganika. Tribus, genres et especes". Academie Royale de Belgique, Mémoires de la Classe des Sciences. Collection in 8 - 2ème série:45(2):1-163 (crc00033)
© Copyright 2007 Thomas Andersen, all rights reserved
Citation:
Andersen, Thomas. (Jan 31, 2007). "Synopsis of Cunningtonia Boulenger, 1906". Cichlid Room Companion. Retrieved on Mar 29, 2024, from: https://cichlidae.com/section.php?id=187.