''Aulonocara'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

haplochromine __NOTOC__ The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe of cichlids in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus (''Haplochromis'') plus a number of closely related genera such as '' Aulonocara'', '' Astat ...

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this ...

s endemic to

Lake Malawi Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the fifth largest fre ...

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...

. All ''Aulonocara''

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

are maternal mouth brooders. Particularly in the

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

hobby, ''Aulonocara'' species are also known as peacock cichlids, aulonocaras or simply "peacocks". This genus is strongly sexually dichromic, even by haplochromine standards. As aquarium fish, they are best kept with other medium-sized nonaggressive cichlids from Lake Malawi. All peacock cichlids are known to be less aggressive than their

Mbuna Mbuna (pronounced Mmm-boo - nah ) is the common name for a large group of African cichlids from Lake Malawi, and are members of the haplochromine family. The name ''mbuna'' means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga people of Malawi.Loiselle ...

counterparts, and thrive in warmer waters that have a slightly basic pH.

Species

The 22 recognized species in this genus are: * '' Aulonocara aquilonium''

Konings Konings is a Dutch surname and may refer to: * Ad Konings (b. 1956), Dutch ichthyologist * Anthony Konings (1821–1884), Dutch Catholic priest and Redemptorist professor * Jean Konings (1886–1974), Belgian sprinter *Giovanni Matteo Konin ...

, 1995 * '' Aulonocara auditor'' ( Trewavas, 1935) * '' Aulonocara baenschi'' M. K. Meyer & Riehl, 1985 (nkhomo-benga peacock) * '' Aulonocara brevinidus'' Konings, 1995 * '' Aulonocara brevirostre'' ( Trewavas, 1935) * '' Aulonocara ethelwynnae'' M. K. Meyer, Riehl & Zetzsche, 1987 (Chitande aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara gertrudae''

, 1995 * '' Aulonocara guentheri'' Eccles, 1989 * '' Aulonocara hansbaenschi'' M. K. Meyer, Riehl & Zetzsche, 1987 (Fort Maguire aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara hueseri'' M. K. Meyer, Riehl & Zetzsche 1987 (night aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara jacobfreibergi'' ( D. S. Johnson, 1974) (Freiberg's peacock, eureka red peacock, fairy cichlid) * '' Aulonocara kandeense''

Tawil ''Ṭawīl'' ( ar, طويل, literally 'long'), or ''al-Ṭawīl'' (), is a meter used in classical Arabic poetry Arabic poetry ( ar, الشعر العربي ''ash-shi‘ru al-‘Arabīyyu'') is the earliest form of Arabic literature. Present kn ...

& Allgayer, 1987 (blue orchid aulonocara) * ''

Aulonocara koningsi ''Aulonocara koningsi'' is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi. It is restricted to the waters around Mbenji Island and is therefore endemic to Malawi too. It is common in the restricted area in which it occurs but c ...

, 2003 * '' Aulonocara korneliae'' M. K. Meyer, Riehl & Zetzsche, 1987 (Chizumulu aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara maylandi'' Trewavas, 1984 (sulfurhead peacock, sulfurhead aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara nyassae''

Regan The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' ...

, 1922 (emperor cichlid) * '' Aulonocara rostratum'' Trewavas, 1935 * '' Aulonocara saulosi'' M. K. Meyer, Riehl & Zetzsche, 1987 (greenface aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara steveni'' M. K. Meyer, Riehl & Zetzsche, 1987 (pale Usisya aulonocara) * '' Aulonocara stonemani'' ( W. E. Burgess & H. R. Axelrod, 1973) * '' Aulonocara stuartgranti'' M. K. Meyer & Riehl, 1985 (flavescent peacock) * '' Aulonocara trematocephala'' (

Boulenger Boulenger is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Boulenger (born 1990), French footballer * Edward George Boulenger (1888–1946), British zoologist, director of aquarium at London Zoo * George Albert Boulenger (1858–1 ...

, 1901)

References

External links

Aulonocara localisations
Freshwater fish genera Cichlid genera * Taxa named by Charles Tate Regan {{cichlid-stub