Identification of the Cichlid Fishes of Lake Malawi/Nyasa Part 3: Rhamphochromina and others.

George Francis Turner, Martin J Genner

With an estimated 800-1000 species, the cichlid fishes of Lake Malawi represent the largest known adaptive radiation of vertebrates from common ancestry in a limited geographical area, in this case a single lake. Although they represent a major system for the study of evolution, and have considerable local economic value, the presence of so many closely-related and poorly known species presents formidable difficulties for researchers, conservationists and resource managers. At least half of the plausible species remain undescribed. The present work reports on progress in their identification, assessing evidence from examination of specimens and photographs in conjunction with studies of type material and literature. Here, we focus on the endemic subtribe Rhamphochromina (‘pelagic clade’), of which 37 known species are considered, along with 10 miscellaneous ‘haplochromine’ species (tribe Pseudocrenilabrini) in non-endemic genera. We also consider 10 ‘tilapia’ species (tribes Coptodonini, Oreochromini and Tilapiini), several of which have been introduced to the catchment for aquaculture and may in time become established in the wild, if they have not already done so. This work represents one of three free-standing preprints, which can be modified as identifications are improved and species formally described.