The Peacock Cichlids of Lake Malawi.
by John Farrell Kuhns
The so-called peacock cichlids from Lake Malawi have achieved an unparalleled popularity among aquarium hobbyists throughout the world. This is most likely due to the numerous species and local variants of those species found around the lake and to the fact that these cichlids are virtual baby factories. Their ease of spawning and their relative peacefulness with other fishes make them a much sought after addition to community tanks of Lake Malawi fishes. Beginners in the aquarium hobby can achieve success in both maintenance and breeding with these fishes and it is not unusual for casual hobbyists to suddenly have several dozen rapidly growing fry to sell or trade to their local dealers or other hobbyists.
As with all things that gain popularity, there is a certain downside. In the case of the peacock cichlids it is the fact that there are so many valid species, and so many which haven't been properly described to science. Combine this with the fact that in captivity these fishes readily hybridize to produce fertile and, often, highly colored offspring. Also, as collectors acquire more and more peacocks from the wild we are learning of numerous color "morphs". These morphs may be true, separate species, or just isolated varieties of another, recognized, species.
More than one aficionado has been exasperated by the plethora of kinds of peacocks and by the fact that without good record keeping by breeders and collectors one can not possibly know what, exactly, one has acquired. Therefore, what follows is a short review of the recent literature on this beautiful group of Malawi cichlids.
To begin Alfred Ufermann, Robert Allgayer and Martin Geerts, in 1987 jointly edited the multilingual Cichlid-Catalogue which was published in Europe. The main feature of this publication is that it attempts to show all of the known scientific names and common names then in use in the cichlid hobby. Here is a synopsis of the listing for the recognized species of Aulonocara and Trematocranus:
Valid scientific names:
Aulonocara baenschi
A. macrochir
A. maylandi
A. nyassae
A. rostrata
A. stuartgranti
Trematocranus auditor
T. brevirostris
T. jacobfreibergi
T. microstoma
T. peterdavies
T. "regani"
Trivial (common) names:
Aulonocara "benga"
A. "cobu"
A. "jaro"
A. "likoma"
A. "maleri"
A. "mojani"
A. "regal"
A. "sanii"
A. "usisya"
Trematocranus "carolae"
T. "catherinae"
T. "chilumba"
T. "reginae"
T. "saulusi"
T. "trevori"
T. "vanessae"
T. "walteri"
Nomen nudum*:
Aulonocara "chailosi"
A. "chipokae"
A. "gloriae"
A. "janardi"
A. "jaune"
A. "jola"
A. "kande"
A. "ramondi"
A. "roberti"
Trematocranus "freibergi"
T. "fryeri"
T. "geoffreyi"
T. "simonis"
Valid scientific names are those which have been published with complete descriptions of the species being described. Trivial, or common, names are those which have been published but for which there was an incomplete description or no description at all. Nomen nudum is Latin for a naked name. In most cases such names are trade, hobby or working names for which nothing has been published. Such a name is a special problem because only the person who first devised the name actually knows to what animal the name pertains. There is no generally available published source which can be referenced for such a name. These kinds of names most often show up on dealers' price lists.
A trivial name is kind of half way between a full scientific name and a nomen nudum. Usually these names have been published in a hobby publication and actually have fairly complete descriptions but due to the type of publication do not properly qualify for the status of a scientific name. These names are useful in that the publications in which they appeared are widely distributed and hobbyists often reference these publications in communications with each other.
The most recent authoritative text on the peacocks, as well as most of the other haplochromine fishes of Lake Malawi, is Malawian Cichlid Fishes by David Eccles and Ethelwynn Trewavasae published in 1989. They state that the name "Aulonocara" is derived from the Greek, aulos = "pipe" plus kara = "head", in reference to the large sensory canals on the head. Eccles and Trewavas list the following species and their synonyms in parentheses:
Aulonocara nyassae
A. guentheri (A. nyassae)
A. rostratum (A. rostrata)
A. macrochir (A. rostratum)
A. trematocephala (Tilapia trematocephala, Limnotilapia trematocephala)
A. auditor (Trematocranus auditor)
A. brevirostris (Trematocranus brevirostris, A. brevirostre)
A. baenschi
A. ethelwynnae
A. hansbaenschi
A. hueseri
A. jacobfreibergi (Trematocranus jacobfreibergi)
A. korneliae
A. maylandi maylandi
A. maylandi kandeensis (A. maylandi Kande Island)
A. saulosi
A. steveni
A. stuartgranti
The name "Trematocranus" is also derived from the Greek: trema = "hole" plus kranos = a helmet. This name, too, refers to the pores in the head which are not as large as in the Aulonocara. Eccles and Trewavas limit this genus to these three species:
Trematocranus microstoma (Aulonocara microstoma)
T. labifer (Haplochromis labifer, Cyrtocara labifer)
T. placodon (Haplochromis placodon, Cyrtocara placodon)
Questions about the validity of scientific names are the subject of discussions among professionals who study cichlids. Names seem to be in constant flux and this is a source for frustration for hobbyists and professionals alike. However, it should be understood that these seemingly random and uncalled for changes are actually the results of ongoing research into the ecology and phylogenetic relationships of the animals. Changes in names come about as a result of increased understanding of the nature of the species. One point should be made clear, it is rare that the specific name of a fish changes. In the examples above it can be seen that the fish now known as Trematocranus placodon was originally Haplochromis placodon which was changed to Cyrtocara placodon and finally was placed in the genus Trematocranus. In all three instances the specific name, placodon, remained the same.
About the only time one finds the specific name being changed is if it was published with an incorrect spelling or when a given specimen (or group of specimens) were erroneously grouped with an existing species and found, later, to be of an entirely different species. Modern systematists have a greater variety of tools available to them for determining relationships among species. One such tool, DNA profiling, has been useful in both verifying and falsifying previously established relationships.
In Laif DeMason's book A Guide to the Tanzanian Cichlids of Lake Malawi, published in 1995, there is an exposition of many of the currently used trade names. DeMason has chosen a fairly strict system of synonomizing these names so that readers have a reference to a single scientific name or trade name for each cichlid from the Tanzanian coast of Lake Malawi. For the peacocks he lists what he considers to be valid names and their previously used synonyms (shown below in parentheses):
Aulonocara rostratum (Aulonocara Longnose)
A. sp. Chitende-type east (A. Chitende-type, A. sp. Fort Maguire)
A. sp. Orange collar jumbo (A.sp. Orange Collar Tanzania, A. sp. Multispot)
A. sp. greenface (A. sp. saulosi-type)
A. jacobfreibergi (Trematocranus (Aulonocara) jacobfreibergi Tanzania)
A. stuartgranti (A. Usisya-type, A. Yellow Tanzania)
A. sp. blue dorsal (A. Blue Neon, A. Blue Dorsal Flavescent)
A. sp. Lemon (A. Lemon jacobfreibergi, A. Mamelela)
A. sp. red dorsal (A. Red Top, A. Lwanda)
For each of the Tanzanian species DeMason lists there is a color photograph, a short description of both the males and females, and a little about the ecology of each. DeMason has attempted to standardize the nomenclature of peacocks, especially that in use among dealers and hobbyists. Unfortunately, his book only covers a small portion of the lake and other references must be consulted. A newer, simple color reference for the Malawi cichlids is the AquaLex Catalog; Cichlids from Lake Malawi edited by Andreas Spreinat and published in 1997. In this reference each species is illustrated with at least one color photo and is identified with a scientific name or trivial name:
Aulonocara baenschi
A. "Black Top"
A. "Chitendi Type East Coast"
A. "Cobue"
A. ethelwynnae
A. gertrudae
A. guentheri
A. hansbaenschi
A. hueseri
A. jacobfreibergi
A. jacobfreibergi"Eureka"
A. "Kande Brown"
A. korneliae
A. "Lupingu"
A. "Mamelela"
A. maylandi maylandi
A. maylandi kandeensis
A. rostratum
A. saulosi
A. steveni
A. stuartgranti
A. "Stuartgranti Mbenji"
A. "Walteri"
A. "Yellow Top"
Trematocranus microstoma
T. placodon
Spreinat's names should be compared to DeMason's to locate suitable synonyms. DeMason is actively involved in the marketing of both wild-caught and domestically raised fishes and can properly be considered as a suitable authority for the names he has proposed.
Finally, there is the series, The Cichlids Yearbook, edited by Ad Konings. The first five volumes contain the following information on the peacocks (as above, the synonyms are enclosed in parentheses):
Volume 1 (1991):
Aulonocara auditor
A. ethelwynnae
A. stuartgranti
A. sp. "Chitande Type Kande"
Volume 2 (1992):
Aulonocara rostratum
Volume 4 (1994):
Aulonocara stuartgranti
A. stuartgranti "Maulana"
A. "Flavescent Peacock"
A. jacobfreibergi
A. stuartgranti "Ngara Peacock"
A. stuartgranti blue-yellow variant at Mbowe Island
A. stuartgranti Usisya
A. stuartgranti Undu Reef (Blue Neon Peacock)
Volume 5 (1995):
Aulonocara stuartgranti
A. jacobfreibergi
A. rostratum (A. rostrata, A. macrochir)
A. macrochir
A. auditor
A. nyassae
A. guentheri (A. nyassae)
A. gertrudae (A. sp. "jumbo blue")
A. brevinidus (A. sp. "Blue gold sand")
A. aquilonium (A. auditor)
The bibliography will also list other references which readers may want to consult for additional information. Dealers and hobbyists should beware of peacocks which are known or suspected hybrids (e.g. German red peacock) or which cannot be definitively identified. For instance, some price lists offer "albino peacock" or "Aulonocara sp. Albino". Unless the person or company offering such fishes can tell with confidence exactly what species are being represented they should be avoided. This will never eliminate the common usages such as "lemon jake" or "blue orchid peacock", but as long as there is some sort of reference from which one can derive a standard name then the confusion should start to dissipate.
It is to be hoped that retailers and wholesalers will avoid selling peacocks about which they cannot supply the provenance. That is, if the fishes they're offering can't be readily identified as being pure strains and not hybrids and that they are not being offered as some new, as yet undefined species or variety, then they should not be offered at all. If breeders and dealers learn that only pure strains and identifiable species are desired then those flim flam artists who peddle their hormone, color-enhanced, super duper, firecracker red peacocks will be put out of business and hobbyists and ethical dealers will have reliable supplies of desirable fishes.
Here then, are some criteria for determining whether or not the peacocks being offered for sale are, in fact, legitimate species and are worthy of consideration:
(1) Avoid all known or suspected hybrids without exception.
(2) Avoid all peacocks which are exhibiting adult coloration at a juvenile size. These specimens have been artificially colored, usually with hormones (e.g. birth control pills), and most likely will not ever breed successfully.
(3) The breeder, or dealer, demonstrates a reasonable level of understanding of why hybrids and/or artificially color enhanced peacocks are not desirable for the hobby.
(4) The breeder or dealer keeps the different species and varieties in separate tanks so that there is no chance of accidental hybridizing or of acquiring potential breeders which are not the same kind (remember, as juveniles most peacocks closely resemble each other, and even as adults the females of different species are very difficult to tell apart).
(5) The peacock being offered can be referenced to a published photograph or description (other than a price list).
(6) The name applied to the peacock being offered is one of the standard names (as outlined above) or, if not, can be referenced to one of those names.
(7) The breeder or dealer can provide information on the bona fides of the species being offered. While it may not be in the interest of a dealer to reveal sources of supply to customers, there can be some limited information given as to the background and origin of the peacocks being offered.
(8) Dealers and hobbyists should freely share information among themselves about breeders and dealers who are not ethical, and/or will not, or cannot, provide the information needed to determine the desirability of the fishes they are selling.
Bibliography (literature cited):
DeMason, Laif. 1995. A Guide to the Tanzanian Cichlids of Lake Malawi, National Art Publishing, Ft. Myers, Florida.
Eccles, David H. And Ethelwynn Trewavas. 1989. Malawian Cichlid Fishes; the Classification of some Haplochromine Fishes, Lake Fish Movies, Herten, West Germany.
Konings, Ad, editor. 1991. The Cichlids Yearbook, v. 1,Cichlid Press, St. Leon-Rot, Germany.
Ibid. 1992. The Cichlids Yearbook, v.2, Cichlid Press, St. Leon-Rot, Germany.
Ibid. 1994. The Cichlids Yearbook, v.4, Cichlid Press, St. Leon-Rot, Germany.
Ibid. 1995. The Cichlids Yearbook, v.5, Cichlid Press, St. Leon-Rot, Germany.
Spreinat, Andreas, editor. 1997. AquaLex Catalog; Cichlids from Lake Malawi, D&Mac179;hne Verlag, Ettlingen, Germany.
Ufferman, Alfred, Robert Allgayer and Martin Geerts. 1987. Cichlid-catalogue, Imprimerie Martin, Brumath, France.
Bibliography (suggested reading):
Konings, Ad. 1989. Malawi Cichlids in their Natural Habitat, Verduijn Cichlids, Zevenhuizen, Holland.
Spreinat, Andreas. 1995. Lake Malawi Cichlids from Tanzania, A. Spreinat, Göttingen, Germany.
|
