Lethrinops auritus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	CICHLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lethrinops auritus

Species Authority:

(Regan, 1922)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Golden Sand-eater

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2006
Assessor/s:	Kasembe, J.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J. (Freshwater Fish Red List Authority) & Darwall, W. (Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme)
Justification: Endemic to Lake Malawi where it is widespread with no major widespread threats identified.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Endemic to Lake Malawi where it is known from the southern part of the lake but it may have a wider distribution.
Countries:	Native: Malawi
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 shallow water with muddy bottoms in sheltered bays where it feeds by filtering sediment and mud from the bottom looking for small invertebrates. It also feeds on zooplankton and sometimes diatoms. At Chembe beach males have been observed building nests in the muddy bottom. These nests consist of a circle of 5–10 mud cones, with another cone (made usually out of sand) in the middle and alongside it a spawning pit is dug. Reported to be commonly caught in seine catches in southern part of the lake. Known as "Lethrinops Small Green and Lethrinops macrophthalmus" in the aquarium trade. Max. size: 8 cm TL.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Occurs in shallow water with muddy bottoms in sheltered bays where it feeds by filtering sediment and mud from the bottom looking for small invertebrates. It also feeds on zooplankton and sometimes diatoms. At Chembe beach males have been observed building nests in the muddy bottom. These nests consist of a circle of 5–10 mud cones, with another cone (made usually out of sand) in the middle and alongside it a spawning pit is dug. Reported to be commonly caught in seine catches in southern part of the lake. Known as "Lethrinops Small Green and Lethrinops macrophthalmus" in the aquarium trade. Max. size: 8 cm TL.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Over-fishing.

Major Threat(s):

Over-fishing.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	None.

Conservation Actions:

None.

Citation:	Kasembe, J. 2006. Lethrinops auritus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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