Haplochromine
Encyclopedia
The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe
of cichlid
s in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae
called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus
(Haplochromis
) plus a number of closely related genera
such as Aulonocara
, Astatotilapia
, and Chilotilapia
. They are endemic to eastern and southern Africa
. A common name in a scientific context is East Africa
n cichlids – while they are not restricted to that region, they are the dominant Cichlidae there. This tribe was extensively studied by Ethelwynn Trewavas, who made major reviews in 1935 and 1989, at the beginning and at the end of her career in ichthyology
. Even today, numerous new species are being described each year.
The haplochromines were in older times treated as subfamily Haplochrominae, However, the great African radiation of pseudocrenilabrine cichlids is certainly not monophyletic without them, and thus they are today ranked as a tribe therein. They do include, however, the type genus
of the subfamily, Pseudocrenilabrus
. Since taxonomic tribes are treated like genera
for purposes of biological nomenclature according to the ICZN
, the Haplochromis is the type genus of this tribe, and not the (later-described) Pseudocrenilabrus, even though the tribe name Pseudocrenilabrini was proposed earlier.
In the African Great Lakes
, there has been an amazing adaptive radiation
of Haplochromini. Many have interesting behavior (e.g. mouthbrooding or the "sleeper" ambushes of Nimbochromis
), and brilliant colours are also widespread. Males and females are often strikingly sexually dichromatic. In the aquarium
hobby, these fishes are popular for these reasons. They are often aggressive and demand rather unique water parameters, making them generally unsuited for beginners or community tanks. There are some informal names used among aquarists for Haplochromini. Generally, any and all (as well as some similar-looking Pseudocrenilabrinae) may be referred to haplos, haps or happies. More specific terms are mbuna
("rock-dwelling browser") and utaka
("free-roaming hunter"), which are Bantu terms for these two ecological groups.
Haplochromines inhabit both rivers and lakes, but it is the lake species that have been most closely studied because of the species flock
s known from some of the larger lakes, such as Lake Malawi
. In the aquarium hobby, the "happies" are conveniently divided into four groups:
Lake Victoria's trophic web was thoroughly upset in the second half of the 20th century, after Nile Perch
(Lates niloticus) were introduced to the lake. Among the haplochromines found there, there have been many extinctions, and a number of other species only survive in aquaria. One monotypic
genus
, Hoplotilapia, is believed to be entirely extinct at least in the wild.
still placed in the "wastebin genus" Haplochromis
, are of unclear relationships, the number and validity of genera in this tribe is subject to change. Hybrid introgression is seriously hampering molecular phylogenetic studies of this group.
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Two rather singular cichlids are also placed in the Haplochromini on occasion. These are the monotypic
genera Etia
and Myaka
. But more usually, the former is considered incertae sedis
among the Pseudocrenilabrinae, while the latter is placed in the Tilapiini.
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
of cichlid
Cichlid
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...
s in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae
Pseudocrenilabrinae
The Pseudocrenilabrinae is a subfamily in the cichlid family of fishes to which, according to a study from 2004, includes all the Middle Eastern and African cichlids with the exception of the unusual Heterochromis multidens and the Malagasy species. Previous authors recognized additional African...
called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus
Type genus
In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:* In zoological...
(Haplochromis
Haplochromis
Haplochromis is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus"...
) plus a number of closely related genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
such as Aulonocara
Aulonocara
Aulonocara is a genus of haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. All Aulonocara species are maternal mouth brooders. Particularly in the aquarium hobby, Aulonocara species are also known as peacock cichlids, aulonocaras or simply "peacocks"...
, Astatotilapia
Astatotilapia
Astatotilapia is a genus of haplochromine cichlids from Africa, with a single species in Israel and Syria. Many species have been moved between this genus and Haplochromis, and while some consensus has been reached in recent years, their mutual delimitation is still far from settled.At present,...
, and Chilotilapia
Chilotilapia
Chilotilapia is a monotypic genus of cichlid fish. The single species, Chilotilapia rhoadesii, is called Malawi Bream due to its looks. But it is quite unrelated to the breams proper, which are Cypriniformes....
. They are endemic to eastern and southern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. A common name in a scientific context is East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
n cichlids – while they are not restricted to that region, they are the dominant Cichlidae there. This tribe was extensively studied by Ethelwynn Trewavas, who made major reviews in 1935 and 1989, at the beginning and at the end of her career in ichthyology
Ichthyology
Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish , cartilaginous fish , and jawless fish...
. Even today, numerous new species are being described each year.
The haplochromines were in older times treated as subfamily Haplochrominae, However, the great African radiation of pseudocrenilabrine cichlids is certainly not monophyletic without them, and thus they are today ranked as a tribe therein. They do include, however, the type genus
Type genus
In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:* In zoological...
of the subfamily, Pseudocrenilabrus
Pseudocrenilabrus
Pseudocrenilabrus is a small genus of haplochromine cichlids that are endemic to rivers and lakes in Central and Eastern Africa. These are small cichlids that, as suggested by the common names of the individual species, are mouthbrooders.-Species:...
. Since taxonomic tribes are treated like genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
for purposes of biological nomenclature according to the ICZN
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...
, the Haplochromis is the type genus of this tribe, and not the (later-described) Pseudocrenilabrus, even though the tribe name Pseudocrenilabrini was proposed earlier.
African Great Lakes
The African Great Lakes are a series of lakes and the Rift Valley lakes in and around the geographic Great Rift Valley formed by the action of the tectonic East African Rift on the continent of Africa...
, there has been an amazing adaptive radiation
Adaptive radiation
In evolutionary biology, adaptive radiation is the evolution of ecological and phenotypic diversity within a rapidly multiplying lineage. Starting with a recent single ancestor, this process results in the speciation and phenotypic adaptation of an array of species exhibiting different...
of Haplochromini. Many have interesting behavior (e.g. mouthbrooding or the "sleeper" ambushes of Nimbochromis
Nimbochromis
Nimbochromis is a small genus of haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. They are known as sleeper cichlids or kaligono , due to their unique hunting behaviour....
), and brilliant colours are also widespread. Males and females are often strikingly sexually dichromatic. In the aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
hobby, these fishes are popular for these reasons. They are often aggressive and demand rather unique water parameters, making them generally unsuited for beginners or community tanks. There are some informal names used among aquarists for Haplochromini. Generally, any and all (as well as some similar-looking Pseudocrenilabrinae) may be referred to haplos, haps or happies. More specific terms are mbuna
Mbuna
Mbuna is the common name for a large group of African cichlids from Lake Malawi. The name mbuna means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga people of Malawi...
("rock-dwelling browser") and utaka
Utaka
right|thumb|Red empress cichlid, which lives in the utaka niche of lake Malawi, AfricaUtaka is the term used for open water-dwelling cichlids found in Lake Malawi, the most diverse source of cichlids in the world of amateur aquaria...
("free-roaming hunter"), which are Bantu terms for these two ecological groups.
Haplochromines inhabit both rivers and lakes, but it is the lake species that have been most closely studied because of the species flock
Species flock
In evolutionary biology, a species flock is a diverse, primarily monophyletic, group of closely related species in an isolated area.A species flock may arise when a species penetrates a new geographical area and diversifies to occupy a variety of ecological niches; this process is known as...
s known from some of the larger lakes, such as Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...
. In the aquarium hobby, the "happies" are conveniently divided into four groups:
- Riverine species and those endemic to the northern Great Lakes such as Lake KivuLake KivuLake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika...
and Lake VictoriaLake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake.... - MbunaMbunaMbuna is the common name for a large group of African cichlids from Lake Malawi. The name mbuna means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga people of Malawi...
, endemic to Lake Malawi - Utaka and other non-mbuna species endemic to Lake Malawi
- Species endemic to Lake TanganyikaLake TanganyikaLake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
Lake Victoria's trophic web was thoroughly upset in the second half of the 20th century, after Nile Perch
Nile perch
The Nile perch is a species of freshwaterfish in family Latidae of order Perciformes. It is widespread throughout muchof the Afrotropic ecozone, being native to the Congo, Nile, Senegal, Niger, and Lake Chad, Volta, Lake Turkana and other river basins. It also occurs in the brackish waters of...
(Lates niloticus) were introduced to the lake. Among the haplochromines found there, there have been many extinctions, and a number of other species only survive in aquaria. One monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, Hoplotilapia, is believed to be entirely extinct at least in the wild.
Genera
As numerous Haplochromini, in particular those speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
still placed in the "wastebin genus" Haplochromis
Haplochromis
Haplochromis is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus"...
, are of unclear relationships, the number and validity of genera in this tribe is subject to change. Hybrid introgression is seriously hampering molecular phylogenetic studies of this group.
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genera Etia
Etia
Etia is a genus of cichlid fish with only a single species, Etia nguti. This fairly small cichlid is endemic to Cameroon in Central Africa. It is one of the most singular Pseudocrenilabrinae; no really close relatives are known.-References:...
and Myaka
Myaka
The Myaka is a critically endangered species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It belongs to the monotypic genus Myaka, and is fairly enigmatic, leading some to place it in the Haplochromini instead of Tilapiini. It is endemic to Lake Barombi Mbo in western Cameroon...
. But more usually, the former is considered incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
among the Pseudocrenilabrinae, while the latter is placed in the Tilapiini.
External links
- Haplochromines - reservestockcichlids.com
- Out of Tanganyika: Genesis, explosive speciation, key-innovations and phylogeography of the haplochromine cichlid fishes - National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Center for Biotechnology InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information is part of the United States National Library of Medicine , a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The NCBI is located in Bethesda, Maryland and was founded in 1988 through legislation sponsored by Senator Claude Pepper...