Gallery of Pseudotropheus Subgenus Tropheops

Below are underwater photos of many different color forms, populations, and still-unnamed species that are related to (or at least similar to) Pseudotropheus (Tropheops) tropheops. Because subgenus Maylandia of the genus Pseudotropheus was promoted to the rank of full genus, the subgenus Tropheops should also be recognized as a full genus, and I intend to do so in the future.

Some of the entities with different names here may represent populations of the same species; for example, I cannot see much to distinguish P. "tropheops lilac," P. "tropheops lilac mumbo," and P. "tropheops yellow chin." But, of course, they may differ by characteristics not visible here, and could still be distinct biological species with different behavior and ecology.

All photos below are from the plates in Ribbink et al., 1983. They are reproduced by permission of the Zoological Society of Southern Africa. The locality where the photo was taken and the plate number in Ribbink et al. are identified under each photo. Ribbink et al. are responsible for the names used here, except that their P. zebra 'mumbo' is called P. "tropheops mumbo" as suggested by Konings (1995c).

Several other related forms are illustrated as separate, formally named species on other pages — see P. gracilior, P. macrophthalmus, and P. microstoma.

P. "tropheops mumbo" (originally P. zebra 'mumbo'), Mumbo I., Plate 1h	P. "tropheops orange chest," Monkey Bay, Plate 3e
P. "tropheops broad mouth," Monkey Bay, Plate 3f	P. "tropheops red cheek," Likoma Island, Plate 3h
P. "tropheops boadzulu," Boadzulu Island, Plate 3i	P. "tropheops black dorsal," West Reef, Plate 3j
P. "tropheops chinyamwezi," Chinyamwezi Island, Plate 4a	P. "tropheops maleri yellow," Maleri Island, Plate 4f
P. "tropheops lilac," Thumbi West Island, Plate 4b	P. "tropheops mbenji blue," Mbenji Island, Plate 4g
P. "tropheops lilac mumbo," Mumbo Island, Plate 4c	P. "tropheops mbenji yellow," Mbenji Island, Plate 4h
P. "tropheops intermediate" (male), Thumbi West Island, Plate 4d	P. "tropheops yellow chin," Likoma Island, Plate 4i
P. "tropheops intermediate" (female), Thumbi West Island, Plate 4e	P. "tropheops membe," Likoma Island, Plate 4j
P. "tropheops dark," Likoma Island, Plate 5a	P. "tropheops black," Nkhata Bay, Plate 5f
P. "tropheops mauve," Nkhata Bay, Plate 5c	P. "tropheops red fin" (female), Ruarwe, Plate 5g
P. "tropheops olive" (male), Nkhata Bay, Plate 5d	P. "tropheops olive" (female), Nkhata Bay, Plate 5e

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