Description

Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 28 - 30. Diagnosis: Haplochromis molossus differs from all other known paedophagous Haplochromis within Lakes Edward and George by its broader oral jaws, 67.0-87.0% of lower jaw length vs. 42.0-72.7%, steeper snout, 45-55° vs. 10-40°, and more gentle gape inclination, 20-30° vs. 40-55° (Ref. 127594). It is similar to H. taurinus and H. gracilifur by its rounded jaws and small lachrymal bones; further distinct from H. taurinus by its smaller eyes, 29.8-33.9% of head length vs. 32.9-40.2%, and from H. gracilifur by its deeper caudal peduncle, 65.5-83.6% of caudal peduncle length vs. 62.9-66.4%, longer premaxillary pedicel, 21.6-25.8% of head length vs. 18.1-21.6%, and higher numbers of infraorbital cheek scales, 3-4 vs. 2, and lower lateral line scales, 9-14 vs. 7-9 (Ref. 127594). In addtion, it has more outer teeth in upper jaw than H. relictidens and fewer than H. paradoxus, 22-34 vs. 16-26 and 36-65, respectively; it is distinct from both by smaller lachrymal bones, 13.3-17.0% of head length vs. 15.8-18.4% and 14.7-21.5%, respectively; further separated from H. relictidens by its broadly rounded lower jaw vs. pointed lower jaw (Ref. 127594). Mature males of H. molossus have green bodies and flanks with 6-8 vertical stripes vs. different colour patterns in all other paedophages (Ref. 127594).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Haplochromis

Species: Haplochromis molossus Vranken, Van Steenberge & Snoeks, 2019

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

This species has a paedophagous diet (Ref. 127594).

Habitat

benthopelagic