Lethrinops is a genus of haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. Particularly in the aquarium hobby, they are known as the sandeaters or sandsifters. Cichlid fishes of the Lethrinops genus have been studied in biology and ichthyology, primarily due to their radiated speciation and rapid evolution in their native habitat of Malawi. In biology, the speciation seen in these fish is known as explosive speciation. Numerous environmental pressures, such as overfishing, invasive species, and pollution threaten species of the Lethrinops genus. Malawi has established a national park to protect the cichlid species within the lakes.
Species
There are currently 24 recognized species in this genus:
- Lethrinops albus <small>Regan, 1922</small>
- Lethrinops altus <small>Trewavas, 1931</small>
- Lethrinops argenteus <small>C. G. E. Ahl, 1926</small>
- Lethrinops atrilabris <small>G. F. Turner. 2022</small>
- Lethrinops auritus <small>(Regan, 1922)</small> (golden sand-eater)
- Lethrinops christyi <small>Trewavas, 1931</small>
- Lethrinops furcifer <small>Trewavas, 1931</small> (greenface sandsifter)
- Lethrinops gossei <small>W. E. Burgess & H. R. Axelrod, 1973</small>
- Lethrinops leptodon <small>Regan, 1922</small>
- Lethrinops lethrinus <small>(Günther, 1894)</small>
- Lethrinops longimanus <small>Trewavas, 1931</small>
- Lethrinops longipinnis <small>Eccles & D. S. C. Lewis, 1978</small>
- Lethrinops lunaris <small>Trewavas, 1931</small>
- Lethrinops macracanthus <small>Trewavas, 1931</small>
- Lethrinops macrochir <small>(Regan, 1922)</small>
- Lethrinops macrophthalmus <small>(Boulenger, 1908)</small>
- Lethrinops marginatus <small>C. G. E. Ahl, 1926</small> (Lethrinops rounded head)
- Lethrinops micrentodon <small>(Regan, 1922)</small>
- Lethrinops microdon <small>Eccles & D. S. C. Lewis, 1977</small>
- Lethrinops microstoma <small>Trewavas, 1931</small> (littletooth sandeater)
- Lethrinops mylodon <small>Eccles & D. S. C. Lewis, 1979</small>
- Lethrinops oculatus <small>Trewavas, 1931</small>
- Lethrinops parvidens <small>Trewavas, 1931</small> (Lethrinops red flush)
- Lethrinops stridei <small>Eccles & D. S. C. Lewis, 1977</small>
- Lethrinops turneri <small>Ngatunga & Snoeks, 2003</small>
See also
References
External links
- Eccles, David H. and Lewis, Digby S.C. 1977. A taxonomic study of the Genus Lethrinops Regan (Pisces: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi: part 1. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 36. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
- Eccles, David H. and Lewis, Digby S.C. 1978. A taxonomic study of the Genus Lethrinops Regan (Pisces: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi: part 2. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 37. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
- Eccles, David H. and Lewis, Digby S.C. 1979. A taxonomic study of the Genus Lethrinops Regan (Pisces: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi: part 3. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology; No. 38. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.