The holotype of Maylandia chrysomallos, an adult male (PSU 3052, Penn State University) measuring 85.7 mm SL, from Mumbo Island, to which the species is endemic. This entity apparently has never had an aquarium trade name. According to the authors of this species (Stauffer et al., 1997), M. chrysomallos can be distinguished from M. zebra by having vertical bars that extend into the dorsal fin. These authors report that it is distinguished from their new species M. melabranchion by having "gold highlights on the light blue ground coloration" (chrysomallos means "gold-fleeced").

Breeding males of M. chrysomallos "have a light blue ground coloration laterally with gold highlights and 6 gray vertical bars; ventral portion fades to pale blue/green; head gray with 2 blue interorbital bars [stripes], green opercle, blue cheek, and gray gular [branchiostegal membrane]. Dorsal fin pale blue with vertical bars extending into it; posterior 4 membranes are rust/orange distally" (p. 199). Illustration reproduced from fig. 10 (a photograph retouched by M. Katz) of Stauffer et al. (1997); used by permission of Dr. Jay Stauffer.
 

Last Update: 16 January 2000 Web Author: M. K. Oliver, Ph.D. Copyright © 1997-2021 by M. K. Oliver, Ph.D. - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED