Variabilichromis moorii
| Variabilichromis moorii | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| Tribe: | Lamprologini |
| Genus: |
Variabilichromis Colombé & Allgayer, 1985 |
| Species: | V. moorii |
| Binomial name | |
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Variabilichromis moorii (Boulenger, 1898) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Variabilichromis moorii has no common name and is a species of freshwater cichlid endemic to Eastern Africa. It is a small ovate bodied fish named for an early collector of fish from the lake, J. E. S. Moore. Juveniles are usually yellow, and adults are dark brown to black in color. It reaches a total length (TL) of 10.3 centimetres (4.1 in). Currently it is the only member of its genus. V. moorii feeds on algae, zooplankton, and benthic invertebrates. It is also found in the aquarium trade.
V. moorii is the only member of the Varibilichromis genus, as well as a member of the Lamprologini tribe. It had previously been in the Neolamprologus genus, but in 1985, Colombé & Allgayer created the new monotypic Variabilichromis genera in order to account for a more ancestral supra-orbital bone structure. This was rejected by Poll's (1986) classification, but supported by Stiassny (1997). Stiassny's classification kept the monotypic genera due to the aforementioned bone structure, as well as the existence of two other characteristics that are rare in the Lamprilogini tribe: their diet includes filamentous algae, and females have two working ovaries.
V. moorii exhibit sexual dimorphism as adult females tend to be larger than adult males. Adult males often have longer pelvic, dorsal, and anal fins than females do.
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