Cyrtocara moorii, commonly known as the hump-head, is a species of haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi in east Africa where they prefer areas with sandy substrates. It can grow to a length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) TL. The species is popular among aquarium keepers where it is known as the hump-head cichlid, blue dolphin cichlid, Malawi dolphin or simply as moorii. It is currently the only known member of its genus.[2] The specific name honours the English cytologist and biologist John Edmund Sharrock Moore (1870-1947).[3]
| Cyrtocara | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| Tribe: | Haplochromini |
| Genus: | Cyrtocara Boulenger, 1902 |
| Species: | C. moorii
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| Binomial name | |
| Cyrtocara moorii Boulenger, 1902
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Description
editThey are varying shades of blue, ranging from turquoise to a silvery-blue, and grow a distinctive hump on their forehead. The male is usually brighter blue than the female.[4]
Aquarium care
editThe Malawi dolphin is best kept at temperatures of 75–78 °F. It is relatively tame except when it is spawning.
The minimum aquarium size should be 48 gallons but increased as the fish grows larger.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Konings, A. (2018). "Cyrtocara moorii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T60920A47222800. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T60920A47222800.en.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cyrtocara moorii". FishBase. February 2013 version.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 July 2018). "Order CICHLIFORMES: Family CICHLIDAE: Subfamily PSEUDOCRENILABRINAE (a-g)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Blue Dolphin Cichlid Care and Breeding | The Aquarium Club". theaquarium.club. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
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