Haplochromis piceatus is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Victoria in East Africa.[2] Although listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, since 2005, surveys have failed to find them in their home lake and they are possibly extinct in the wild.[3][4] Captive "safety populations" are maintained at several public aquariums.[4][5]
| Haplochromis piceatus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Haplochromis |
| Species: | H. piceatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Haplochromis piceatus | |
| Synonyms | |
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This species can reach a standard length of 9 cm (3.5 in).[2] Males are bluish-black with orange fins and females are grayish. The species generally resembles H. cinereus and H. macrops, also from Lake Victoria, but they differs in having a longer jaw and a higher gill raker count.[5] In the wild they are typically found over muddy bottoms at depths of about 14–18 m (46–59 ft) where they feed on zooplankton and insect larvae, but in captivity they will eat a wide range of standard aquarium fish food.[2][5]
References
edit- ^ Witte, F.; de Zeeuw, M.P.; Brooks, E. (2010). "Haplochromis piceatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T61189A12440462. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T61189A12440462.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Haplochromis piceatus". FishBase. September 2019 version.
- ^ Sayer, C.A.; L. Máiz-Tomé; W.R.T. Darwall (2018). Freshwater biodiversity in the Lake Victoria Basin: Guidance for species conservation, site protection, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods. Cambridge, UK and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. doi:10.2305/IUCN.CH.2018.RA.2.en. ISBN 9782831718965.
- ^ a b Rutger, H. (27 March 2018). "Thus fish in Mote Aquarium may be extinct in the wild – and it has quite a backstory". Mote Aquarium. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Hemdal, J.; E. McMullin (2013). "Husbandry of a Lake Victoria cichlid, the Pitch-black fulu Haplochromis piceatus, in public aquariums: a 20 year retrospective". Int. Zoo Yearb. 47: 112–119. doi:10.1111/izy.12012.
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