Morphology Data of Copadichromis chizumuluensis
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Stauffer, J.R. and A.F. Konings, 2006
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: supra-pectoral spot 2-2.5 times diameter of supra-anal spot; 17-19 gill rakers on 1st ceratobranchial; males in breeding coloration: blue breast and narrow yellow marginal band in anal fin; males with light spots in anal fin (Ref. 57549).

Description: body deep; straight (females and immatures) to concave (large adults) dorsal head profile; gape inclination of mouth about 40° to horizontal; jaws isognathous; teeth on dentary and premaxilla in 3 rows, teeth in outer row bicuspid in juveniles and females, large and unicuspid in mature males; lower pharyngeal jaw small, dentigerous area slender, with tiny bicuspid teeth and posterior row enlarged with 2 central teeth about 2x width of others; gill-rakers on ceratobranchial short and broad-based with lower 6-8 reduced to short stubs; 1-3 pored scales posterior to lateral line; 2-3 scale rows on cheek; 3 teeth rows in upper and lower jaw (Ref. 57549).

Coloration: breeding males: head blue with green highlights; preorbital region gray; throat white with gray patches; lateral portion of body blue, with anterior portion of scales above upper lateral line orange/brown and anterior portion of scales below upper lateral line gold; breast gray with blue spots; belly gray with blue/white highlights; dorsal membranes pale yellow with blue markings, membranes between rays with yellow spots, spines and rays blue proximally and gray distally; dorsal fin with black marginal band with white lappets and yellow tips; caudal fin with blue rays and blue and yellow membranes, black band located 2/3 distally; proximal 2/3 of anal fin with small blue ocelli, margin black band with yellow lappets; pectoral fin clear; pelvic fin clear with white leading edge and black band located 2/3 distally (Ref. 57549).

Females: head gray; cheeks silvery with purple highlights; opercle silver with brown and blue highlights and black opercle spot; throat white; lateral portion of body with 3 black spots; supra-pectoral spot below 9-14th scale sometimes in contact with upper lateral line and about 2-2.5 times size of supra-anal spot; supra-anal spot at 23-25th scale above and in contact with lower

lateral line and covering 3-4 scales; caudal spot

smaller than supra-anal spot on caudal base extending onto caudal peduncle; above upper lateral line bronze ground color with green highlights; below upper lateral line silver ground color with center of each scale either blue or yellow and anteriorly outlined in gold; 2-3 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and dorsal-fin origin; breast and belly white; dorsal fin dark gray with orange spots, white lappets, and yellow tips; proximal 1/3 of caudal fin dark gray, distal 2/3 light gray with yellow spots; proximal 2/3 of anal fin dark gray, distal 1/3 light gray with yellow ocelli; pectoral fin clear; first 2 membranes and rays of pelvic fin gray, remaining clear (Ref. 57549).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Copadichromis chizumuluensis

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 33 - 35
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 17 - 19
on upper limb 6 - 7
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0
Ventral  0
Spines total 16 - 17
Soft-rays total 11 - 12
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 9 - 10

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   12 - 14
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   5 - 5
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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