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CICHLIDS
LAKE MALAWI CICHLIDS
Lake Malawi was formed 1-2 million years ago. This geologically young, rocky lake
of the East African Rift is about 375 miles (604 km) long and 53 miles (85 km) wide, making it the ninth largest
lake in the world. The lake is bordered by Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. This lake is dominated by cichlids,
most of which are endemic to the lake.
Over 280 cichlid species have been described, although estimates of
up to 500 cichlid species have been made.
The largest group of Cichlids found in this lake is the Haplochromines
with over 120 species and 48 genera.
Among the Haplochromines, are the Peacock Cichlids of the genusAulonocara;the
Mbuna, a large group, including the genera,Cynotilapia, Labeotropheus, Labidochromis,Melanochromis, andPseudotropheus; and the larger piscivores of the generaCyrtocara, Nimbochromis,and Sciaenochromis.
Lake Malawi Biotope Setup
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Recent news
Charting a new environmental course in China
(05/21/2012)
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works in more than 30 countries and
has projects in all 50 of the United States. The Conservancy has over one million
members, and has protected more than 119 million acres of wild-lands and 5,000 miles
of rivers worldwide. TNC has taken an active interest in China, the world's most
populated nation, and in many important ways, a critical center of global development.
The following is an interview with multiple directors of The Nature Conservancy's China
Program.
New 'bony-tongue' fish discovered in Myanmar
(05/18/2012)
A new species of arowana, a highly valued aquarium fish, has been described from southern Myanmar (Burma). The description is published in last month's issue of the journal Aqua.
Wildlife in the tropics plummets by over 60 percent
(05/15/2012)
In 48 years wildlife populations in the tropics, the region that holds the bulk of the world's biodiversity, have fallen by an alarming 61 percent, according to the most recent update to the Living Planet Index. Produced by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the index currently tracks almost 10,000 populations of 2,688 vertebrate species (including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) in both the tropics and temperate regions.
Educating the next generation of conservation leaders in Colombia
(05/14/2012)
Colombia's northern departments of Cordoba and Bolivar are home to an abundance of coral reefs, estuaries, mangroves forests, and forests. Rich in both marine and terrestrial wildlife, local communities depend on the sea and land for survival, yet these ecosystems are imperiled by booming populations, overexploitation, and unsustainable management. Since 2007, an innovative education program in the region, the Guardians of Nature, has worked to teach local children about the ecology of the region, hoping to instill a conservation ethic that will aid both the present and the future.
Manta rays tracked by satellite
(05/11/2012)
Satellite tracking technology has revealed new insights into the behavior of manta rays, reports the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The findings are published in this week's issue of the journal PLoS.
Featured video: the oceans and Rio+20
(05/10/2012)
A new video by Pew Environment Group and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) hopes to convince policy-makers attending the Rio+20 Summit on Sustainable Development this summer that urgent action is needed to save the ocean's from an environmental crisis.
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