Copadichromis geertsi

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• Classification Schemes
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• Bibliography
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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	CICHLIDAE

Scientific Name:	Copadichromis geertsi
Species Authority:	Konings, 1999

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Vulnerable   D2   ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2006
Assessor/s:	Kazembe, J., Makocho, P. & Mailosi, A.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme)
Justification: Endemic to Lake Malawi, currently only recorded at two locations. No widespread major threats identified.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Endemic to Lake Malawi. Found along the eastern coast of Lake Malawi between Nsinje river and the rocky shore north of Gome village. Also observed at Thundu much further north in Mozambique. Not yet observed in the areas between these two localities
Countries:	Native: Malawi; Mozambique
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	No information available.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:

Occurs in intermediate habitats at depths ranging between 25–50 m. Rarely found in shallower waters. Females sometimes observed foraging in groups in the open water and single individuals can be found in between males' territories. Feeds on particulate matter taken from the water column. Males build cave crater nests in the intermediate habitat at depths greater than 25 m. Mouthbrooding females swim to shallow water where they release their offspring among the schools of juvenile utaka commonly found above nests of kampango (Bagrus meridionalis). Known as Copadichromis sp. 'Virginalis Blotch' in the aquarium trade.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

Potentially over-fishing. Sedimentation.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

None.

Bibliography [top]

IUCN. 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 04 May 2006. Konings, A. 1999. Descriptions of three new Copadichromis species (Labroidei; Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi, Africa. Tropical Fish Hobbyist 47(9): 62–84