Tropheops biriwira Li, Konings & Stauffer, 2016
15-Sep-2016 — A new genus and seven species of Lake Malawi cichlids described
By Juan Miguel Artigas Azas
The description of seven new Lake Malawi mbuna cichlid species with a small distribution and that of a new genus have just appeared published in the journal Zootaxa authored by Shan Li, Ad Konings and Jay Stauffer. The new genus Chindongo, the 14th mbuna genus which in the local vernacular of Malawi means “small, rock-dwelling fish”, is described for what was known as Pseudotropheus sp. ‘elongatus aggressive’ and Pseudotropheus sp. ‘elongatus slab’, now Chindongo bellicosus (meaning fond of war in Latin) and other ten species previously in Pseudotropheus, it is mainly characterized by bi-cuspid frontal teeth in as few as three rows, a small mouth with the upper jaw slightly longer than the lower and a vertical barred pattern without horizontal elements at any stage of development. The other six new species are Cynotilapia chilundu (meaning reef in Chichewa) described for what was provisionally known as Cynotilapia sp. 'elongatus taiwan'; Metriaclima flavicauda (meaning yellow tail in Latin) for what was known as Metriaclima sp. ‘elongatus yellow tail’; Metriaclima usisyae (from Usisya, Malawi) for what was known as Metriaclima sp. ‘elongatus usisya’; Tropheops biriwira (green in Chichewa) for what was known as Tropheops sp. ‘elongatus greenback’; Tropheops kamtambo (blue in Chichewa) for what was known as Tropheops sp. ‘elongatus reef’ and Tropheops kumwera (south in Chichewa) for what was known as Tropheops sp. ‘elongatus boadzulu.
Li, Shan & A.F. Konings, J.R. Stauffer. 2016. "A revision of the Pseudotropheus elongatus species group (Teleostei: Cichlidae) with description of a new genus and seven new species". Zootaxa. 4168(2):1-29. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4168.2.9 (crc07492) (abstract)