Haplochromis pappenheimi (Boulenger, 1914)

Description


Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 30 - 32. Diagnosis: Haplochromis pappenheimi is a species with a shallow body, body depth 27.2-31.0% of standard length; long and shallow caudal peduncle, caudal peduncle length 17.4-19.6% of standard length, caudal peduncle depth 55.0-69.1% of caudal peduncle length; short upper jaw compared to lower jaw, upper jaw length 64.2-73.2% of lower jaw length; posterior 1/4-1/5 of premaxillary dentigerous arm sometimes edentulous; many gill rakers, 13-17 (Ref. 128938). It differs from H. aureus by a shallower body, 27.2-31.0% of standard length vs. 30.7-33.5%; shorter upper jaw, upper jaw length 26.8-29.4% of head length vs. 29.3-35.6%; more gill rakers, 13-17 vs. 12-14; dominant males with dark grey vs. yellow snout and cheeks (Ref. 128938). It is similar to H. oregosoma in body shape and dominant male colour pattern, differs by deeper lacrimals, lacrimal depth 16.1-18.1% of head length vs. 10.5-15.2%, and a broader interorbital area, interorbital width 54.0-63.5% of head width vs. 45.9-48.8% (Ref. 128938). It is very similar to H. pelagicus and differs by anal fin dark-dusky vs. hyaline to rarely faintly dusky; major cusps of outer oral teeth acutely vs. bluntly pointed, and with no to a small flange, rarely a large flange, vs. with a small to large flange; anterior outer oral teeth including often several vs. rarely some tricuspid teeth; dominant males differ further from those of H. pelagicus by anal and caudal fins crimson vs. hyaline; belly and chest dark-coloured vs. light-coloured belly and speckled-black chest; cheek dark-coloured with a well-defined lacrimal stripe vs. light-coloured with a very well-defined lacrimal stripe; pelvic fins slightly longer, pelvic fin length of male 25.2-33.5% of standard length vs. 23.3-27.0% (Ref. 128938).

Taxonomic Hierarchy


Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Haplochromis

Species: Haplochromis pappenheimi (Boulenger, 1914)

Climate Zone


  • Tropical
  • Location


    Biology


    Found in upper water levels in offshore regions (Ref. 4983); abundant in and near sublittoral regions and present in deepwater regions (Ref. 128938). It feeds on zooplankton, particularly copepods and cladocerans (Ref. 558, 128938) and larvae, pupae and emerging adults of chaoborids (Ref. 128938).

    Habitat


    pelagic