Common names:
Unknown
None

Taxonomic tree
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish)
Order: Cichliformes (Cichlids)
Family: Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Genus: Neochromis
Species: Neochromis rufocaudalis (Seehausen & Bouton 1998)
Number of Occurrancies: 33

Etymology(based on Scharpf & Lazara, 2019)

• Neochromis: neo-, meaning new, i.e., a new genus “closely related” to Haplochromis


• rufocaudalis: rufus, meaning red; caudalis, tailed, referring to deep-red color of caudal fin in life. From

Synonyms: click here to view synonyms on FishBase, but also see taxonomic remarks below

Type locality: Eastern shore of the Mwanza Gulf entrance, Bwiru Peninsula, Lake Victoria, Tanzania. Holotype at Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie (RMNH)

General identification features for haplochromine cichlids

• A single nostril on each side of the head; dorsal fin with contineous spinous and soft-rayed parts; lateral line interrupted(with anterior superior part and posterior inferior part)


• Ctenoid scales


• Juveniles lack tilapia mark (dark spot at the posterior end of the dorsal fin)

Distinguishing characters for the genus(From Seehausen et al., 1998)

• A steep and convex dorsal head profile; a broad, sometimes square shaped lower jaw; teeth in the outer row equally or subequally bicuspid and contigously set; 


• Teeth in the outer tooth row very movably implanted;


• Three to more than six rows of inner teeth in both jaws forming broad bands anteriorly and anterolaterally; lack of a distinct gap separating the outer tooth row from the first inner row in the lower jaw;


• Usually 3-5 egg dummies on the anal fin of males;


• Flank scales much higher than wide and and either a usually distinct vertical bar pattern on the flanks or black blotches on organge ground.

Distinguishing characters for the species (From Seehausen et al., 1998)

• Medium-sized, deep bodied haplochromine with a steep to very steep and strongly convex dorsal head profile (usually rounded), contigously set subequally bicuspid outer teeth, many rows of inner teeth


• Very small cycloid scales on the belly,


• Blue male flank coloration (with black vertical bars) and a crismon red caudal fin.


• Distinuished from other Neochromis species by predominantly cycloid scales on the caudal part of the dorsum and on the belly (vs. predominantly ctenoid scales).


• Females have 5-7 (usually 6) dark grey to black vertical bars, males 5.5-6.5.

Taxonomic remarks: We adopt the genus Neochromis, which is valid in Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer et al. 2019), based on Seehausen et al. 1998, although FishBase (Froese and Pauly, 2019) lists the species in genus Haplochromis based on Van Oijen 1996. 

Distribution in Uganda: Lake Victoria and Victoria Nile

Occurence: Native

Habitat: Restricted to rocky shores. 

Feeding: Predominantly epilithic algae, but can also feed on plankton, insect larvae or prawns

Biology: Pronounced sexual dimorphism in size and coloration: adult females are normally 6-7.5 cm SL, while males reach 10 cm SL. A polygynous female mouth brooder with maternal parental care. Spawning takes place throughout the year. Length at 50% maturity is 6.5 cm SL in females and 8.5 cm SL in males.

Economic importance/End use: Unknown. 

IUCN conservation status: click here to view conservation status

Threats: Predation by L. niloticus and alteration of river flow for the riverine populations. 

Main references

• Seehausen, O., Lippitsch, E., Bouton, N. and Zwennes, H. 1998. Mbipi, the rock-dwelling cichlids of Lake Victoria: description of three new genera and fifteen new species (Teleostei). Ichtyological exploration of Freshwaters 9: 129-228.


• Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2019. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (02/2019)


• Sharpf C, Lazara J.K. 2019. Fish Name Etymology Database v4. www.etyfish.org


• Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. and Van der Laan, R. (eds). 2019. Catalog of Fishes: genera, species, references. Updated 1 July 2019. Available at: http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp. (Accessed 10 July 2019)


• van Oijen, M.J.P. 1996. The generic classification of haplochromine cichlids of Lake Victoria, East Africa. Zoologische Verhandelingen 302: 57-110.