Haplochromis vonlinnei facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haplochromis vonlinnei |
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Haplochromis vonlinnei is a type of cichlid fish that only lives in Lake Victoria in Africa. It's a slender, greyish fish with a clear band along its side. This fish mostly eats smaller fish. It can grow up to about 15.9 centimeters (6 inches) long. Sadly, its numbers have dropped a lot because of a bigger fish called the Nile perch, which was brought into the lake in the 1950s. Haplochromis vonlinnei hasn't been seen since 1980. Because of this, the IUCN (a group that tracks endangered species) calls it "Critically Endangered" and thinks it might even be extinct. This fish is named after a famous Swedish scientist, Carl Linnaeus.
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What Does Haplochromis vonlinnei Look Like?
This fish is a medium-sized, slender cichlid. It has a pointed snout and its lower jaw sticks out a little. Its teeth are curved. The fish is mostly grey. It has a thin, broken blackish band along its upper side and a wider, clearer band along its middle. Its sides are yellowish, and its belly is white.
Differences Between Males and Females
- Males: The fin on their underside (called the anal fin) is grey. It has two to four bright orange spots that look like eggs. These spots have thin white edges.
- Females: Their anal fin is yellowish. It has two darker yellow spots.
Haplochromis vonlinnei can grow to be between 11.5 and 15.9 centimeters (about 4.5 to 6.2 inches) long.
How It Compares to Other Fish
Among other Haplochromis fish in Lake Victoria, Haplochromis vonlinnei looks similar to H. pyrrhopteryx. However, H. pyrrhopteryx does not have the clear band along its middle. It also looks a bit like H. altigenis in its body shape, but H. altigenis has a different head shape and less curved teeth.
Where Does Haplochromis vonlinnei Live?
Haplochromis vonlinnei is found only in Lake Victoria. It is known from the Mwanza Gulf area in Tanzania. Scientists believe it lives near the bottom of the lake, over muddy areas. It has been found at depths between 5.5 and 18 meters (about 18 to 59 feet).
Why Is This Fish in Danger?
The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) was brought into Lake Victoria in the 1950s. The idea was to make fishing in the lake better. However, the Nile perch is a large fish that eats other fish. Since it was introduced, many types of cichlid fish, including Haplochromis vonlinnei, have seen their numbers drop a lot.
Haplochromis vonlinnei was already uncommon in the 1970s. It has not been seen since 1980. That year, some were caught during a survey by Tanzania. The IUCN has listed Haplochromis vonlinnei as "Critically Endangered". This means it is either extremely rare, with very few left, or it might already be extinct. Another problem for any remaining fish is that the lake water has become less clear. This can make it harder for fish to recognize each other when it's time to mate.
