Fenestratus

Fenestratus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cichliformes
Family: Cichlidae
Genus: Protomelas
Species:
P. fenestratus
Binomial name
Protomelas fenestratus
(Trewavas, 1935)
Synonyms
  • Haplochromis fenestratus Trewavas, 1935
  • Cyrtocara fenestratus (Trewavas, 1935)

The fenestratus (Protomelas fenestratus) is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. This species can reach a length of 14 centimetres (5.5 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.[2] Protomelas fenestratus is a substrate blower. They blow away the substrate, to uncover insect larvae and crustaceans. They are characterized by vertical bars, and thin horizontal lines of varying darkness depending on location. The males blue colouration obscures the barring when dominant.[3] The lattice like pattern on this fish's body is reminiscent of windows which is what the specific name fenestratus refers to.[4]

References

  1. ^ Konings, A.; Kazembe, J. (2018). "Protomelas fenestratus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T61077A148672275. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T61077A148672275.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Protomelas fenestratus". FishBase. April 2013 version.
  3. ^ Cichlid Forum
  4. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (25 September 2018). "Order CICHLIFORMES: Family CICHLIDAE: Subfamily PSEUDOCRENILABRINAE (p-y)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 12 January 2019.


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