Checklist of the Malawi "Hap" Species Flock (Alphabetically)

Cheilochromis euchilus, photo © M.K. Oliver

Cheilochromis euchilus, photo © by M.K. Oliver

Latest additions:

A new species of Hemitaeniochromis described by Oliver (2012)

A hybrid Hemitaeniochromis?

Below is an alphabetical checklist of Lake Malawi's haplochromine genera and species (other than Mbuna). The list, which is also available sorted by color pattern, follows Eccles & Trewavas's (1989) classification, as modified by selected subsequent work. For want of a better name, this non-mbuna species flock can informally be called the "Haps," after the genus Haplochromis Hilgendorf, to which many of these fishes were once assigned.
Select a generic name below to see the list of species it contains, with (nonclickable) icons showing their color pattern(s). Within each genus, some genus and species names are linked to habitus photos and drawings; at least one species of every genus is illustrated. Tip: Be sure to scroll down on each picture page for the caption and any additional pictures. All photos at this web site are by M.K. Oliver, unless otherwise credited. A few photos at external sites are also linked. Most species also have a link from the author and year of publication to the literature citation of the original description. Some publications containing many new species (such as Trewavas, 1935) are not linked to every species, but you will find the same publication (author and year) as a link on a nearby species.
[For a different approach to listing these fishes, with all the same illustration links but without the authority and year or the publication data, see Checklist of the Malawi "Hap" Species Flock (by Color Pattern). Also available is a list of only the illustrated species of "Haps." For the Mbuna, go to Checklist of the Mbuna Species Flock. To learn more about these two groups, see What Is a Species Flock? What Is a Metaflock?]

Alticorpus Stauffer & McKaye, 1988
Aristochromis Trewavas, 1935
Aulonocara Regan, 1922
Buccochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Caprichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Champsochromis Boulenger, 1915
Cheilochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Chilotilapia Boulenger, 1908
Copadichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Corematodus Boulenger, 1897
Ctenopharynx Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Cyrtocara Boulenger, 1902
Dimidiochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Diplotaxodon Trewavas, 1935
Docimodus Boulenger, 1897
Eclectochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Exochochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Fossorochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Hemitaeniochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Hemitilapia Boulenger, 1902
Lethrinops Regan, 1922
Lichnochromis Trewavas, 1935
Maravichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Mchenga Stauffer & Konings, 2006
Mylochromis Regan, 1922
Naevochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Nimbochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Nyassachromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Otopharynx Regan, 1920
Pallidochromis Turner, 1994
Placidochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Platygnathochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Protomelas Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Rhamphochromis Regan, 1922
Sciaenochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Stigmatochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Taeniochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Taeniolethrinops Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Tramitichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Trematocranus Trewavas, 1935
Tyrannochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Alticorpus Stauffer & McKaye, 1988

Alticorpus geoffreyi Snoeks & Walapa, 2004
Alticorpus macrocleithrum (Stauffer & McKaye, 1985)
Alticorpus mentale Stauffer & McKaye, 1988 type species
Alticorpus peterdaviesi (Burgess & Axelrod, 1973) (synonym: A. pectinatum Stauffer & McKaye, 1988; synonymized by Snoeks & Walapa, 2004)
Alticorpus profundicola Stauffer & McKaye, 1988
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Aristochromis Trewavas, 1935

Aristochromis christyi Trewavas, 1935 type species
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Aulonocara Regan, 1922

Psammophilous (sandy substrate) Aulonocara species [reviewed by Konings (1995)]:

Aulonocara aquilonium Konings, 1995
Aulonocara brevinidus Konings, 1995
Aulonocara gertrudae Konings, 1995
Aulonocara sp. "gold"
Aulonocara guentheri Eccles, 1989
Aulonocara macrochir Trewavas, 1935
Aulonocara nyassae Regan, 1922 type species
Aulonocara rostratum Trewavas, 1935
Lithophilous (rocky shore) & intermediate zone Aulonocara species ("Peacocks"; "Kaiserbuntbarsche"):

Aulonocara baenschi Meyer & Riehl, 1985
Aulonocara ethelwynnae Meyer, Riehl, & Zetzsche, 1987
Aulonocara hansbaenschi Meyer, Riehl, & Zetzsche, 1987 (probably a synonym of A. stuartgranti)
Aulonocara hueseri Meyer, Riehl, & Zetzsche, 1987
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Johnson, 1974)
Aulonocara koningsi Tawil, 2003
Aulonocara korneliae Meyer, Riehl, & Zetzsche, 1987
Aulonocara maylandi maylandi Trewavas, 1984
Aulonocara maylandi kandeensis Tawil & Allgayer, 1987
Aulonocara saulosi Meyer, Riehl, & Zetzsche, 1987
Aulonocara steveni Meyer, Riehl, & Zetzsche, 1987 (probably a synonym of A. stuartgranti)
Aulonocara stuartgranti Meyer & Riehl, 1985
Aulonocara sp. "stuartgranti maleri"
Aulonocara species incertae sedis (of uncertain position within the genus):

Aulonocara auditor (Trewavas, 1935)
Aulonocara brevirostre (Trewavas, 1935)
Aulonocara trematocephalum (Boulenger, 1901)
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Buccochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Buccochromis atritaeniatus (Regan, 1922)
Buccochromis heterotaenia (Trewavas, 1935)
Buccochromis lepturus (Regan, 1922)
Buccochromis nototaenia (Boulenger, 1902) type species
Buccochromis oculatus (Trewavas, 1935)
Buccochromis rhoadesii (Boulenger, 1908)
Buccochromis spectabilis (Trewavas, 1935)
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Caprichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Caprichromis liemi (McKaye & Mackenzie, 1982)
Caprichromis orthognathus (Trewavas, 1935) type species
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Champsochromis Boulenger, 1915

Champsochromis caeruleus (Boulenger, 1908) type species
Champsochromis spilorhynchus (Regan, 1922)
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Cheilochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Cheilochromis euchilus (Trewavas, 1935) type species
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Chilotilapia Boulenger, 1908

Chilotilapia rhoadesii Boulenger, 1908 type species
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Copadichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Note: Several species formerly classified in Copadichromis are now assigned to Mchenga

Copadichromis atripinnis Stauffer & Sato, 2002

Copadichromis azureus Konings, 1990

Copadichromis boadzulu (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis borleyi (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis chizumuluensis Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Copadichromis chrysonotus (Boulenger, 1908)

Copadichromis cyaneus (Trewavas, 1935)

Copadichromis cyanocephalus Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Copadichromis diplostigma Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Copadichromis geertsi Konings, 1999

Copadichromis ilesi Konings, 1999

Copadichromis insularis Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Copadichromis jacksoni (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis likomae (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis melas Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Copadichromis mbenjii Konings, 1990

Copadichromis mloto (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis nkatae (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis parvus Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Copadichromis pleurostigma (Trewavas, 1935)

Copadichromis pleurostigmoides (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis prostoma (Trewavas, 1935)

Copadichromis quadrimaculatus (Regan, 1922) type species

Copadichromis trewavasae Konings, 1999

Copadichromis trimaculatus (Iles, 1960)

Copadichromis verduyni Konings, 1990

Copadichromis virginalis (Iles, 1960)

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Corematodus Boulenger, 1897

Corematodus shiranus Boulenger, 1897 type species

Corematodus taeniatus Trewavas, 1935

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Ctenopharynx Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Ctenopharynx intermedius (Günther, 1864) type species
Ctenopharynx nitidus (Trewavas, 1935)
Ctenopharynx pictus (Trewavas, 1935)
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Cyrtocara Boulenger, 1902

Cyrtocara moorii Boulenger, 1902 type species Caudal skeleton
Jump to article and photos by Jessica Miller at The Cichlid Room Companion
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Dimidiochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Dimidiochromis compressiceps (Boulenger, 1908)
Dimidiochromis dimidiatus (Günther, 1864)
Dimidiochromis kiwinge (Ahl, 1926)
Dimidiochromis strigatus (Regan, 1922) type species
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Diplotaxodon Trewavas, 1935

Diplotaxodon aeneus Turner & Stauffer, 1998
Diplotaxodon altus Stauffer, Phiri, & Konings, 2018
Diplotaxodon apogon Turner & Stauffer, 1998
Diplotaxodon argenteus Trewavas, 1935 type species
Diplotaxodon ecclesi Burgess & Axelrod, 1973 (redescribed by Turner & Stauffer, 1998)
Diplotaxodon greenwoodi Stauffer & McKaye, 1986
Diplotaxodon limnothrissa Turner, 1994
Diplotaxodon longimaxilla Stauffer, Phiri, & Konings, 2018
Diplotaxodon macrops Turner & Stauffer, 1998
Diplotaxodon sp. 1
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Docimodus Boulenger, 1897

Docimodus evelynae Eccles & Lewis, 1976
Docimodus johnstonii Boulenger, 1897 type species
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Eclectochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Eclectochromis festivus (Trewavas, 1935)
Eclectochromis lobochilus (Trewavas, 1935)
Eclectochromis ornatus (Regan, 1922) type species
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Exochochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Exochochromis anagenys Oliver, 1989 type species Lower pharyngeal bone
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Fossorochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Fossorochromis rostratus (Boulenger, 1899) type species
[junior subjective synonym: Haplochromis macrorhynchus Regan, 1922]
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Hemitaeniochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Hemitaeniochromis brachyrhynchus Oliver, 2012
Hemitaeniochromis urotaenia (Regan, 1922) type species
A hybrid Hemitaeniochromis?
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Hemitilapia Boulenger, 1902

Hemitilapia oxyrhynchus Boulenger, 1902 type species
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Lethrinops Regan, 1922

Lethrinops albus Regan, 1922

Lethrinops altus Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops argenteus Ahl, 1926

Lethrinops auritus (Regan, 1922)

Lethrinops christyi Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops "deep-water albus"

Lethrinops furcifer Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops gossei Burgess & Axelrod, 1973

Lethrinops leptodon Regan, 1922

Lethrinops lethrinus (Günther, 1894) type species

Lethrinops longimanus Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops longipinnis Eccles & Lewis, 1978

Lethrinops lunaris Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops macracanthus Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops macrochir (Regan, 1922)

Lethrinops macrophthalmus (Boulenger, 1908)

Lethrinops marginatus Ahl, 1926

Lethrinops micrentodon (Regan, 1922)

Lethrinops "micrentodon Makokola"

Lethrinops microdon Eccles & Lewis, 1977

Lethrinops microstoma Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops mylodon mylodon Eccles & Lewis, 1979

Lethrinops mylodon borealis Eccles & Lewis, 1979

Lethrinops oculatus Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops "oliveri"

Lethrinops parvidens Trewavas, 1931

Lethrinops stridei Eccles & Lewis, 1977

Lethrinops turneri Ngatunga & Snoeks, 2003

Lethrinops "yellow chin"

Lethrinops sp. A

Lethrinops sp. B

Lethrinops sp. C

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Lichnochromis Trewavas, 1935

Lichnochromis acuticeps Trewavas, 1935 type species
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Maravichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
(Junior subjective synonym of Mylochromis Regan, 1920, which see)

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Mchenga Stauffer & Konings, 2006

Mchenga conophoros (Stauffer, LoVullo, & McKaye, 1993) Note 1

Mchenga cyclicos (Stauffer, LoVullo, & McKaye, 1993) type species

Mchenga eucinostomus (Regan, 1922)

Mchenga flavimanus (Iles, 1960)

Mchenga inornata (Boulenger, 1908)

Mchenga thinos (Stauffer, LoVullo, & McKaye, 1993)

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Mylochromis Regan, 1920

(Mylochromis Regan, 1920 is the senior subjective synonym of Maravichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989; see Derijst & Snoeks, 1992)

Mylochromis anaphyrmus (Burgess & Axelrod, 1973)

Mylochromis balteatus (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis chekopae Turner & Howarth, 2001

Mylochromis ensatus Turner & Howarth, 2001

Mylochromis epichorialis (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis ericotaenia (Regan, 1922)

Mylochromis formosus (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis guentheri (Regan, 1922)

Mylochromis incola (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis labidodon (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis lateristriga (Günther, 1864) type species

Mylochromis melanotaenia (Regan, 1922)

Mylochromis mola (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis mollis (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis obtusus (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis plagiotaenia (Regan, 1922)

Mylochromis semipalatus (Trewavas, 1935)

Mylochromis sphaerodon (Regan, 1922)

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Naevochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Naevochromis chrysogaster (Trewavas, 1935) type species
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Nimbochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989
Cladogram

Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus (Regan, 1922)

Nimbochromis linni (Burgess & Axelrod, 1974)

Nimbochromis livingstonii (Günther, 1894) type species

Nimbochromis maculimanus (Regan, 1922) (probably a synonym of N. polystigma)

Nimbochromis pardalis (Trewavas, 1935)

Nimbochromis polystigma (Regan, 1922)

Nimbochromis venustus (Boulenger, 1908) Upper gill arch elements
Visit article by A.D. Davis with breeding information

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Nyassachromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Nyassachromis breviceps (Regan, 1922) type species

Nyassachromis leuciscus (Regan, 1922)

Nyassachromis microcephalus (Trewavas, 1935)

Nyassachromis nigritaeniatus (Trewavas, 1935)

Nyassachromis purpurans (Trewavas, 1935)

Nyassachromis serenus (Trewavas, 1935)

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Otopharynx Regan, 1920

Otopharynx aletes Oliver, 2018
Otopharynx alpha Oliver, 2018
Otopharynx antron Cleaver, Konings, & Stauffer, 2009
Otopharynx argyrosoma (Regan, 1922)
Otopharynx auromarginatus (Boulenger, 1908) type species
Otopharynx brooksi Oliver, 1989
Otopharynx decorus (Trewavas, 1935)
Otopharynx heterodon (Trewavas, 1935)
Otopharynx lithobates Oliver, 1989 Spawning videos Jaws and suspensorium
Otopharynx mumboensis Oliver, 2018
Otopharynx ovatus (Trewavas, 1935)
Otopharynx pachycheilus Arnegard & Snoeks, 2001 (O. "rubber lips")
Otopharynx panniculus Oliver, 2018
Otopharynx peridodeka Oliver, 2018
Otopharynx selenurus Regan, 1922
Otopharynx speciosus (Trewavas, 1935)
Otopharynx spelaeotes Cleaver, Konings, & Stauffer, 2009
Otopharynx styrax Oliver, 2018
Otopharynx tetraspilus (Trewavas, 1935)
Otopharynx tetrastigma (Günther, 1894)
(Otopharynx walteri Konings, 1990, synonym of O. lithobates)
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Pallidochromis Turner, 1994

Pallidochromis tokolosh Turner, 1994 type species
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Placidochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Placidochromis acuticeps Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis acutirostris Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis argyrogaster Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis boops Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis borealis Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis chilolae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis communis Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis domirae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis ecclesi Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis electra (Burgess, 1979)

Placidochromis elongatus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis fuscus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis hennydaviesae (Burgess & Axelrod, 1973)

Placidochromis intermedius Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis johnstoni (Günther, 1894)

Placidochromis koningsi Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis lineatus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis longimanus (Trewavas, 1935) type species

Placidochromis longirostris Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis longus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis lukomae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis macroceps Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis macrognathus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis mbunoides Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis milomo Oliver, 1989 Neurocranium

Placidochromis minor Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis minutus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis msakae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis nigribarbis Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis nkhatae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis nkhotakotae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis obscurus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis ordinarius Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis orthognathus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis pallidus Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis phenochilus (Trewavas, 1935) Note 2 on the generic assignment
Ad Konings's article "The Blue Sanddwellers" with photo of P. phenochilus

Placidochromis platyrhynchos Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis polli (Burgess & Axelrod, 1973)

Placidochromis rotundifrons Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis "silver blotch" — (considered to be a form of P. phenochilus)

Placidochromis stonemani (Burgess & Axelrod, 1973)

Placidochromis subocularis (Günther, 1894)

Placidochromis trewavasae Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis turneri Hanssens, 2004

Placidochromis vulgaris Hanssens, 2004

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Platygnathochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Platygnathochromis melanonotus (Regan, 1922) type species
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Protomelas Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Protomelas annectens (Regan, 1922)

Protomelas dejunctus Stauffer, 1993

Protomelas fenestratus (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas insignis (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas kirkii (Günther, 1894) type species

Protomelas labridens (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas macrodon Eccles, 1989

Protomelas marginatus marginatus (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas marginatus vuae (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas pleurotaenia (Boulenger, 1901)

Protomelas similis (Regan, 1922)

Protomelas spilonotus (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas spilopterus (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas sp. "steveni taiwan"

Protomelas taeniolatus (Trewavas, 1935) "Red Empress"

Protomelas triaenodon (Trewavas, 1935)

Protomelas virgatus (Trewavas, 1935)

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Rhamphochromis Regan, 1922

Rhamphochromis brevis Trewavas, 1935

Rhamphochromis esox (Boulenger, 1908)

Rhamphochromis ferox Regan, 1922

Rhamphochromis leptosoma Regan, 1922

Rhamphochromis longiceps (Günther, 1864) type species

Rhamphochromis lucius Ahl, 1926

Rhamphochromis macrophthalmus Regan, 1922

Rhamphochromis woodi Regan, 1922

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Sciaenochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

[Genus revised by Konings (1993), who excluded S. gracilis and S. spilostichus, reassigning them to Mylochromis near Mylochromis formosus. M.K. Oliver continues to consider those two predatory species with prominent, short premaxillary ascending processes ("pedicels") as belonging in Sciaenochromis, even with the revised concept of the type species S. ahli advocated by Konings (1993). See photos of fishes tentatively identified as S. gracilis and S. spilostichus (links in the list below).]

Sciaenochromis ahli (Trewavas, 1935) type species

Sciaenochromis benthicola Konings, 1993

Sciaenochromis fryeri Konings, 1993
Article at Cichlid Room Companion on S. fryeri with breeding info, by David Felix

Sciaenochromis gracilis (Trewavas, 1935)

Sciaenochromis psammophilus Konings, 1993

Sciaenochromis spilostichus (Trewavas, 1935)

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Stigmatochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Stigmatochromis macrorhynchos Stauffer, Cleaver-Yoder, & Konings, 2011
Stigmatochromis melanchros Stauffer, Cleaver-Yoder, & Konings, 2011
Stigmatochromis modestus (Günther, 1894)
Stigmatochromis pholidophorus (Trewavas, 1935)
Stigmatochromis pleurospilus (Trewavas, 1935)
Stigmatochromis woodi (Regan, 1922) type species
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Taeniochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Taeniochromis holotaenia (Regan, 1922) type species
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Taeniolethrinops Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Taeniolethrinops cyrtonotus (Trewavas, 1931)
Taeniolethrinops furcicauda (Trewavas, 1931)
Taeniolethrinops laticeps (Trewavas, 1931)
Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis (Regan, 1922) type species
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Tramitichromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Tramitichromis brevis (Boulenger, 1908) type species

Tramitichromis intermedius (Trewavas, 1935)

Tramitichromis lituris (Trewavas, 1931)

Tramitichromis trilineatus (Trewavas, 1931)

Tramitichromis variabilis (Trewavas, 1931)

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Trematocranus Trewavas, 1935

Trematocranus labifer (Trewavas, 1935)
Trematocranus microstoma Trewavas, 1935 type species
Trematocranus placodon (Regan, 1922)
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Tyrannochromis Eccles & Trewavas, 1989

Tyrannochromis macrostoma (Regan, 1922) type species

Tyrannochromis maculiceps (Ahl, 1926)

Tyrannochromis nigriventer Eccles, 1989

Tyrannochromis polyodon (Trewavas, 1935)

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The Cichlid Fishes of Lake Malawi, Africa: MalawiCichlids.com