Trematocranus placodon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cichliformes
Family: Cichlidae
Genus: Trematocranus
Species:
T. placodon
Binomial name
Trematocranus placodon
(Regan, 1922)
Synonyms
  • Haplochromis placodon Regan, 1922
  • Cyrtocara placodon (Regan, 1922)

Trematocranus placodon is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper reaches of the Shire River in Africa. It is mainly a shallow-water species that prefers to occupy areas with patches of Vallisneria, but it can occur as deep as 31 m (102 ft).[1][2] It can reach a total length of up to 25 cm (9.8 in).[2]

It feeds mainly on aquatic snails and has a preference for Bulinus nyassanus, making this cichlid beneficial to humans as that snail is an intermediate host of the parasite bilharzia (schistosomiasis).[1][3] It has been suggested that an increase in bilharzia in Lake Malawi has been caused by overfishing of this and other snail-eating cichlids.[4][5] It is mainly caught as a food fish, but also for the aquarium trade.[1][2][5] Although it has seriously declined in some regions, overall it remains widespread and it is considered a species of least concern by the IUCN.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Konings, A.; Kazembe, J. (2019). "Trematocranus placodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T60948A155046291. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T60948A155046291.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2013). "Trematocranus placodon" in FishBase. April 2013 version.
  3. ↑ Evers, B.N.; Madsen, H.; McKaye, K.M.; Stauffer, J.R. Jr. (2006). "The schistosome intermediate host, Bulinus nyassanus, is a 'preferred' food for the cichlid fish, Trematocranus placodon, at Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi". Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 100 (1): 75–85. doi:10.1179/136485906X78553. PMID 16417717.
  4. ↑ Madsen, H.; Stauffer, J.R. Jr. (2011). "The burrowing behaviour of Bulinus nyassanus, intermediate host of Schistosoma haematobium, in Lake Malaŵi". African Journal of Aquatic Science. 37 (1): 113–116. doi:10.2989/16085914.2012.666383. S2CID 55896242.
  5. 1 2 Stauffer, J.R.; and H. Madsen (2012). Schistosomiasis in Lake Malawi and the Potential Use of Indigenous Fish for Biological Control. Pp. 119—140 in: Rokni, M.B., editor. Schistosomiasis. ISBN 978-953-307-852-6.


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