Description

Diagnosis: Haplochromis vanoijeni is a small sized (less than 9 cm standard length), micrognathic species with generalized body profile, but with a relatively long and acute snout; because of the latter, and its relatively small interorbital width, the species bears some resemblance with species of the 'tridens' group; indeed, it has some tricuspid teeth rostrally in the outer row of the oral jaws (Ref. 85523). It differs from eight of the nine described species in the 'tridens' group in the colouration of sexually active males: dorsum and flanks in sexually active males of Haplochromis vanoijeni are bright red; both males and females have conspicuously silverish-white cheeks, contrasting with the remaining head colours, which is a unique character among Lake Victoria haplochromines (Ref. 85523). From Haplochromis tridens, of which the colouration of live, sexually active males is unknown, it differs in the following characters: the lower jaw is shorter, lower jaw length 40.9-44.7% of head length vs. 43.3-51.8%; a larger interorbital width, 17.6-20.5% of head length vs. 15.0-19.5%; in contrast to H. vanoijeni, H. tridens has a dorsal head profile that is interrupted by a prominent premaxillary pedicel, and a cephalic line system with prominent pores (Ref. 85523). Besides by its specific colouration pattern, H. vanoijeni can be distinguished from all described species in the 'tridens' group by its larger body depth, 33.1-36.2% of standard length vs. 30.6-33.6%; the lower jaw of H. vanoijeni is shorter, 40.9-44.7% of standard length, than tah of most described species in the 'trident' group, except for that of H. cryptogramma and that of H. plutonius (Ref. 85523).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Haplochromis

Species: Haplochromis vanoijeni de Zeeuw & Witte, 2010

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

A benthic species, caught mainly in the deeper parts, more than 10 m depth, in the Mwanza Gulf, over mud bottoms; occasionally caught over mud in shallower areas (Ref. 85523). Before the ecological changes in Lake Victoria, this species fed mainly on detritus; occasionally remains of shrimps and insects were found (Ref. 85523). This species is a female mouth brooder (Ref. 85523).

Habitat

demersal