A new species ofLethrinops(Cichliformes: Cichlidae) from a Lake Malawi satellite lake, believed to be extinct in the wild

Abstract

AbstractA new species of cichlid fish,Lethrinops chilingaliis described from specimens collected from Lake Chilingali, near Nkhotakota, Malawi. It is assigned to the genusLethrinopsbased on the form of the lower jaw dental arcade and by the absence of traits diagnostic of the phenotypically similarCtenopharynx, TaeniolethrinopsandTramitichromis. It also lacks the enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores found in species ofAlticorpusandAulonocara. The presence of a broken horizontal stripe on the flanks of females and immature/non-territorial males ofLethrinops chilingalidistinguishes them from all congeners, includingLethrinops lethrinus, in which the stripe is typically continuous.Lethrinops chilingalialso has a relatively shorter snout, shorter lachrymal bone and less ventrally positioned mouth thanLethrinops lethrinus. It appears likely thatLethrinops chilingaliis now extinct in the wild, as this narrow endemic species has not been positively recorded in the natural environment since 2009. Breeding populations remain in captivity.