Above: Melanochromis perileucos (formerly known as Melanochromis "black-white johannii"), photographed underwater at Likoma Island, Malawi. "M. perileucos may be distinguished from other members of this genus, except M. elastodema, by its faded, often interrupted, horizontal stripes in males. It may be distinguished from M. elastodema by its pale blue caudal peduncle [sic] compared with the dark blue or almost black caudal peduncle of M. elastodema. Melanochromis perileucos is the only Melanochromis in which females may be white" (Bowers & Stauffer, 1997: 58). From the above diagnosis, the fish in the above photo would seem to be closer to M. elastodema. Bowers & Stauffer, however, identify their M. perileucos with the M. "black-white johannii" of Ribbink et al. (1983), and this photo (from Plate 9j of Ribbink et al., 1983; reproduced by permission of the Zoological Society of Southern Africa) is exactly that. Below: The holotype of Melanochromis perileucos (Penn State University, PSU 2652.1), an adult male 71.1 mm SL from Membe Point, Likoma Island; scale bar = 10 mm. Illustration by M. Katz, from fig. 9 of Bowers & Stauffer (1997); used with the kind permission of N. Bowers.
 

Last Update: 1 June 2008 Web Author: M. K. Oliver, Ph.D. Copyright © 1997-2021 by M. K. Oliver, Ph.D. - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED