''Haplochromis'' is a

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

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 ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Cichlidae 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 thi ...

. It has been used as the default "

wastebin taxon Wastebasket taxon (also called a wastebin taxon, dustbin taxon or catch-all taxon) is a term used by some taxonomists to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined ...

" for

Pseudocrenilabrinae The Pseudocrenilabrinae are a subfamily in the cichlid family of fishes to which, according to a study from 2004, includes all the Middle Eastern and African cichlids with the exception of the unusual '' Heterochromis multidens'' and the Malaga ...

cichlids of the

East African Rift The East African Rift (EAR) or East African Rift System (EARS) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago. In the past it was considered to be part of a ...

, and as such became the "largest"

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

"genus". Many of these cichlids are popular

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 ...

fishes; like similar Haplochromini they are known as "haplos", "happies" or "haps" among aquarium enthusiasts. The genus was established by F.M. Hilgendorf in 1888. It was originally conceived as a

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

of A.C.L.G. Günther's ''"Chromis"'', at that time an even larger "wastebin genus" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids. The

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

of Hilgendorf was '' H. obliquidens''. ''"Chromis"'' of Günther turned out to be a junior homonym of

G. Cuvier Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, Baron Cuvier (; 23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier was a major figure in nat ...

ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...

fish genus '' Chromis'', already established in 1814, and was abolished. As the years went by, other genera of (mostly) Haplochromini were lumped with and split again from ''Haplochromis'', and the final delimitation of the

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

around ''H. obliquidens'' is not yet done.

Extinction crisis in Lake Victoria

The introduction of Nile perch (''Lates niloticus'') to

Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after ...

after 1954 severely upset the lake's

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

. By the late 1970s, the perch's

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

was approaching

carrying capacity The carrying capacity of an environment is the maximum population size of a biological species that can be sustained by that specific environment, given the food, habitat, water, and other resources available. The carrying capacity is defined as t ...

, and the smaller cichlids were fair game for the huge

carnivorous A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant whose food and energy requirements derive from animal tissues (mainly muscle, fat and other sof ...

''Lates'', the Nile tilapia (''Oreochromis niloticus''), an adaptable

generalist A generalist is a person with a wide array of knowledge on a variety of subjects, useful or not. It may also refer to: Occupations * a physician who provides general health care, as opposed to a medical specialist; see also: ** General pract ...

, was also introduced and competed with the often specialized

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

cichlids of the lake for food and other resources. When the Nile perch stocks finally declined again in the late 1980s, an estimated 200 Haplochromini

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 ...

(mostly ''Haplochromis'') may have become

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

– many of these had only been scientifically described a few years before their demise, and additional ones were only known or suspected to exist, but never properly studied or described. While the stocks of those species that survived are in many cases recovering, the lake ecosystem has changed irrevocably. The entire trophic web has been observed to be upset. But still,

evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...

runs its course: those Lake Victoria ''Haplochromis'' species that still exist are in many cases adapting to new food sources, and in time,

speciation Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species. The biologist Orator F. Cook coined the term in 1906 for cladogenesis, the splitting of lineages, as opposed to anagenesis, phyletic evolution within ...

is likely to set in and produce a new

adaptive radiation In evolutionary biology, adaptive radiation is a process in which organisms diversify rapidly from an ancestral species into a multitude of new forms, particularly when a change in the environment makes new resources available, alters biotic int ...

of these fishes. Until then, however, the ecological balance of the lake is still on the brink, and many of the cichlids that survived the peak population of ''Lates'' are still critically endangered and close to extinction.

Systematics and taxonomy

''Haplochromis'' is the type genus of the

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

Haplochromini. Most of the tribe's members were at one time or another included in the present genus, but in many cases this was only temporary. Around the year 1900, as well 100 years later, the trend was to split up the genus; especially in the mid-20th century, on the other hand, most authors lumped any and all Haplochromini that were not conspicuously distinct in the type genus.FishBase 009b/ref> While a number of

African Rift Valley The East African Rift (EAR) or East African Rift System (EARS) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago. In the past it was considered to be part of ...

cichlids are certainly very close relatives of '' H. obliquidens'', the type species of the present genus, it is not very clear where to draw the boundary of ''Haplochromis'' with regard to its relatives. Still, several genera are now recognized as distinct by many authors and scientific databases, such as

FishBase FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web.

(see

below Below may refer to: *Earth *Ground (disambiguation) *Soil *Floor *Bottom (disambiguation) Bottom may refer to: Anatomy and sex * Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or ...

); in particular the Haplochromini from

Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika () is an African Great Lake. It is the second-oldest freshwater lake in the world, the second-largest by volume, and the second-deepest, in all cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is the world's longest freshwater lake. ...

and

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 ...

are usually removed from ''Haplochromis''. The genus delimitation in the entire tribe remains badly resolved, however, and further changes in

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

are likely in the future. In particular, between ''Haplochromis'', ''

Astatotilapia ''Astatotilapia'' is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Cichlidae found in Eastern and Northern Africa, with a single species, ''A. flaviijosephi'', in Western Asia (the only non-African haplochromine). Many species have been moved be ...

'' and '' Thoracochromis'', species have been moved to and from over the years. The habit of

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

ize is hampering

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

studies based on mtDNA alone, while

trophic Trophic, from Ancient Greek τροφικός (''trophikos'') "pertaining to food or nourishment", may refer to: * Trophic cascade * Trophic coherence * Trophic egg * Trophic function * Trophic hormone * Trophic level index * Trophic level * Trop ...

morph Morph may refer to: Biology * Morph (zoology), a visual or behavioral difference between organisms of distinct populations in a species * Muller's morphs, a classification scheme for genetic mutations * "-morph", a suffix commonly used in tax ...

s of a single species may appear to be distinct "species" if they are not phylogenetically studied. Several proposed genera are again included in ''Haplochromis'' at present, but it cannot be ruled out that some of these will eventually be recognized as valid again.

Species

There are currently 229 recognized species in this genus: * ''

Haplochromis acidens ''Haplochromis acidens'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical ...

Greenwood Green wood is unseasoned wood. Greenwood or Green wood may also refer to: People * Greenwood (surname) Settlements Australia * Greenwood, Queensland, a locality in the Toowoomba Region * Greenwood, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth C ...

, 1967 * ''

Haplochromis adolphifrederici ''Haplochromis adolphifrederici'' is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Kivu. It is an insectivorous, maternal mouthbrooder. The specific name honours Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg (1873-1969) the German explorer i ...

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 ...

, 1914 * ''

Haplochromis aelocephalus ''Haplochromis aelocephalus'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria, but has not been seen since 1985. It may be extinct, but is maintained as Critically Endangered by the IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (I ...

, 1959 * ''

Haplochromis aeneocolor ''Haplochromis aeneocolor'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Uganda where it is found in Lake George and the Kazinga Channel The Kazinga Channel in Uganda is a wide, long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George (Uganda), L ...

, 1973 * ''

Haplochromis akika ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

Lippitsch Lippitsch (German) or Lipič (Upper Sorbian) is a village in the northeast part of the German state Saxony, in the administrative district of Bautzen. It belongs to Upper Lusatia and was an independent municipality until 1977, when it was absorbed b ...

, 2003 * ''

Haplochromis albertianus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

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'' ...

, 1929 * '' Haplochromis altigenis''

, 1922 * '' Haplochromis ampullarostratus'' Schraml, 2004 * '' Haplochromis angustifrons''

, 1914 * ''

Haplochromis annectidens ''Haplochromis annectidens'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Nabugabo in Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. I ...

'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''

Haplochromis antleter ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default " wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichli ...

'' Mietes & F. Witte, 2010 * '' Haplochromis apogonoides''

, 1967 * '' Haplochromis arcanus''

& Gee, 1969 * ''

Haplochromis argens ''Haplochromis argens'' is a species of haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria where it is only known from the Tanzanian portion. This species reaches a length of SL. It feeds on zooplankton. References argens The Argens (; oc, ...

'' de Zeeuw,

Westbroek Westbroek is a village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of De Bilt, and lies about 6 km northwest of Bilthoven. Westbroek consists mainly of a ribbon of farms along a dike. The village is surrounded by a ...

& F. Witte, 2013 * '' Haplochromis argenteus''

, 1922 * '' Haplochromis artaxerxes''

, 1962 * '' Haplochromis astatodon''

, 1921 * '' Haplochromis avium''

, 1929 * ''

Haplochromis azureus ''Haplochromis azureus'' is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to groups of islands in the middlepart of the Speke Gulf in the Tanzanian part Lake Victoria. It is restricted to areas of steep, rocky beds where the females and non ...

'' Seehausen &

, 1998 * '' Haplochromis barbarae''

, 1967 * '' Haplochromis bareli'' van Oijen, 1991 * ''

Haplochromis bartoni ''Haplochromis bartoni'' was a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria. This species can reach a length of SL. It has not been recorded in recent surveys but as the whole of Lake Victoria has not ben surveyed for this species the IUCN clas ...

, 1962 * ''

Haplochromis bayoni ''Haplochromis bayoni'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria. This species reaches a length of SL. The specific name honours the Italian British physician and researcher into sleeping sickness African trypanosomiasis, also kno ...

, 1909 * '' Haplochromis beadlei'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''

Haplochromis bicolor ''Haplochromis bicolor'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical ...

, 1906 * ''

Haplochromis boops ''Haplochromis boops'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria. This species can reach a length of SL. References boops ''Boops'' (; from Greek , literally 'cow-eye') is a genus of ray-finned saltwater fishes. The genus cont ...

, 1967 * ''

Haplochromis brownae ''Haplochromis brownae'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria though it may be extinct in the wild. This species can reach a length of SL. The identity of the person honoured by this species' specific name is not known but it is th ...

, 1962 * ''

Haplochromis bullatus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

'' Trewavas, 1938 * '' Haplochromis bwathondii'' Niemantsverdriet & F. Witte, 2010 * '' Haplochromis cassius''

& Barel, 1978 * '' Haplochromis cavifrons'' Hilgendorf, 1888 * ''

Haplochromis chilotes ''Haplochromis chilotes'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropica ...

, 1911 * '' Haplochromis chlorochrous''

& Gee, 1969 * ''

Haplochromis chromogynos ''Haplochromis chromogynos'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest trop ...

, 1959 * '' Haplochromis chrysogynaion'' van Oijen, 1991 * ''

Haplochromis cinctus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default " wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichl ...

& Gee, 1969 * ''

Haplochromis cinereus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

, 1906 * '' Haplochromis cnester'' F. Witte & Witte-Maas, 1981 * '' Haplochromis commutabilis'' Schraml, 2004 (Kachira blue) * '' Haplochromis coprologus'' Niemantsverdriet & F. Witte, 2010 * '' Haplochromis crassilabris''

, 1906 * '' Haplochromis crebridens'' Snoeks, De Vos, Coenen & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1990 * '' Haplochromis crocopeplus''

& Barel, 1978 * ''

Haplochromis cronus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

, 1959 * '' Haplochromis cryptodon''

, 1959 * '' Haplochromis cryptogramma''

& Gee, 1969 * '' Haplochromis cyaneus'' Seehausen, Bouton & Zwennes, 1998 * ''

Haplochromis decticostoma ''Haplochromis decticostoma'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest trop ...

& Gee, 1969 * '' Haplochromis degeni''

, 1906 * '' Haplochromis dentex''

, 1922 * ''

Haplochromis dichrourus ''Haplochromis dichrourus'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria, but has not been seen since 1986. This species grows to a length of SL. It may be extinct, but is maintained as Critically Endangered by the IUCN The Internatio ...

, 1922 * '' Haplochromis diplotaenia''

& Trewavas, 1928 * '' Haplochromis dolichorhynchus''

& Gee, 1969 * '' Haplochromis dolorosus'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''

Haplochromis eduardianus ''Haplochromis eduardianus'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Uganda where it is found in Lake George, Lake Edward and the Kazinga Channel The Kazinga Channel in Uganda is a wide, long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake Ge ...

, 1914 * '' Haplochromis eduardii''

, 1921 * '' Haplochromis elegans'' Trewavas, 1933 * '' Haplochromis empodisma''

, 1960 * ''

Haplochromis engystoma ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''

Haplochromis erythrocephalus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the Family (biology), family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many ...

& Gee, 1969 * ''

Haplochromis erythromaculatus ''Haplochromis erythromaculatus'' is a species of cichlid Endemism, endemic to Rwanda where it occurs in Lake Bulera, Lake Ruhondo and their feeder rivers. This species can reach a length of fish measurement, SL. References

Haplochromis ...

'' De Vos, Snoeks & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1991 * ''

Haplochromis estor ''Haplochromis estor'' is a piscivorous species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria. This species can reach a length of SL. This cichlid was first documented by Charles Tate Regan Charles Tate Regan FRS (1 February 1878 – 12 January 194 ...

, 1929 * '' Haplochromis eutaenia''

& Trewavas, 1928 * ''

Haplochromis exspectatus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

'' Schraml, 2004 * '' Haplochromis fischeri'' Seegers, 2008 * '' Haplochromis flavipinnis''

, 1906 * '' Haplochromis flavus'' Seehausen, Zwennes &

, 1998 * '' Haplochromis fuelleborni'' Hilgendorf &

Pappenheim Pappenheim is a town in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Altmühl, 11 km south of Weißenburg in Bayern. History Historically, Pappenheim was a statelet within Holy Roman Empire. It ...

, 1903 (Fuelleborn's mouthbrooder) * ''

Haplochromis fuscus ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

, 1925 * ''

Haplochromis fusiformis ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default " wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichl ...

& Gee, 1969 * ''

Haplochromis gigas ''Haplochromis gigas'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria where it is only known to occur with certainty in the Speke Gulf, though its presence is suspected in other portions of the lake. Its preferred habitat is gently sloping are ...

'' Seehausen &

, 1998 * '' Haplochromis gigliolii''

Pfeffer Pfeffer is a German surname meaning "pepper" and may refer to: * Anna Pfeffer (born 1946), Hungarian Olympic medalist sprint canoer * Anshel Pfeffer, British journalist * Anton Pfeffer (born 1965), Austrian footballer * Big Jeff Pfeffer (1882� ...

, 1896 * '' Haplochromis gilberti''

& Gee, 1969 * ''

Haplochromis goldschmidti ''Haplochromis goldschmidti'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria, where it is only known to occur with certainty in the southern part of the Emin Pasha Gulf. It feeds mainly on zooplankton and some insects. This species can reach a ...

'' F. Witte,

& de Zeeuw, 2013 * '' Haplochromis gowersii'' Trewavas, 1928 * '' Haplochromis gracilior''

, 1914 (Torpedostripe haplochromis) * ''

Haplochromis granti ''Haplochromis granti'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria, though it may now be extinct. This species can reach a length of SL. The specific name honours the Scottish naturalist and explorer James Augustus Grant Lieutenant-C ...

, 1906 * '' Haplochromis graueri''

, 1914 * '' Haplochromis greenwoodi'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''

Haplochromis guiarti ''Haplochromis guiarti'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria though it may now be extinct. This species can reach a length of SL. The specific name honours the French parasitologist Jules Guiart (1870-1965), who was a friend ...

'' Pellegrin, 1904 * ''

Haplochromis harpakteridion ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

'' van Oijen, 1991 * ''

Haplochromis heusinkveldi ''Haplochromis heusinkveldi'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest trop ...

'' F. Wittee & Witte-Maas, 1987 * '' Haplochromis hiatus'' Hoogerhoud & F. Witte, 1981 * '' Haplochromis howesi'' van Oijen, 1992 * ''

Haplochromis humilior ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

, 1911 * ''

Haplochromis humilis ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

Steindachner Franz Steindachner (11 November 1834 in Vienna – 10 December 1919 in Vienna) was an Austrian zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. He published over 200 papers on fishes and over 50 papers on reptiles and amphibians. Steindachner describ ...

, 1866 * '' Haplochromis igneopinnis'' Seehausen &

, 1998 * '' Haplochromis insidiae'' Snoeks, 1994 * '' Haplochromis iris'' Hoogerhoud & F. Witte, 1981 * '' Haplochromis ishmaeli''

, 1906 * '' Haplochromis kamiranzovu'' Snoeks, Coenen & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1984 * ''

Haplochromis katavi The Katavi mouthbrooder (''Haplochromis katavi'') is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Tanzania where it is found in the Lake Rukwa Lake Rukwa is an endorheic lake located the Rukwa Valley of Rukwa Region, Songwe Region and Katavi Region i ...

'' Seegers, 1996 (Katavi mouthbrooder) * ''

Haplochromis katonga ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the Family (biology), family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many ...

'' Schraml &

Tichy Tichy is a town and commune in Béjaïa Province, northern Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , ...

, 2010 * '' Haplochromis katunzii'' ter Huurne & F. Witte, 2010 * ''

Haplochromis kujunjui ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

'' van Oijen, 1991 * ''

Haplochromis labiatus ''Haplochromis labiatus'' is a species of cichlid found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda where it is found in Lake Edward Lake Edward (locally Rwitanzigye or Rweru) is one of the smaller African Great Lakes. It is located in ...

'' Trewavas, 1933 * '' Haplochromis labriformis''

Nichols Nichols may refer to: People *Nichols (surname) *Nichol, a surname Places Canada * Nichols Islands, Nunavut United States * Nichols, California, an unincorporated community * Nichols Canyon, Los Angeles, California * Nichols, Connecticut * Nic ...

& La Monte, 1938 * '' Haplochromis lacrimosus''

, 1906 * ''

Haplochromis laparogramma ''Haplochromis laparogramma'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest trop ...

& Gee, 1969 * '' Haplochromis latifasciatus''

, 1929 * '' Haplochromis limax'' Trewavas, 1933 * '' Haplochromis lividus''

, 1956 * '' Haplochromis loati''

, 1971 * ''

Haplochromis longirostris ''Haplochromis longirostris'' is a species of cichlid endemism, endemic to Lake Victoria though it may now be extinct. This species can reach a length of fish measurement, SL. References

Haplochromis, longirostris Fish described in 188 ...

'' Hilgendorf, 1888 * '' Haplochromis luteus'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''

Haplochromis macconneli ''Haplochromis macconneli'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Turkana, northern Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capita ...

, 1974 * '' Haplochromis macrocephalus'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''

Haplochromis macrognathus ''Haplochromis macrognathus'' is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Victoria in East Africa. This piscivorous species can reach a standard length of . Last seen in the early 1980s, it may now be extinct. References macrognathus ''M ...

, 1922 * ''

Haplochromis macrops ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

, 1911 * '' Haplochromis macropsoides''

, 1973 * '' Haplochromis maculipinna'' Pellegrin, 1913 * ''

Haplochromis mahagiensis ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the Family (biology), family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many ...

'' L. R. David & Poll, 1937 * ''

Haplochromis maisomei ''Haplochromis'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus". Many of these cichlids ...

'' van Oijen, 1991 * '' Haplochromis malacophagus'' Poll & Damas, 1939 * ''

Haplochromis mandibularis ''Haplochromis mandibularis'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tro ...

, 1962 * ''Haplochromis martini''

, 1906 * ''Haplochromis maxillaris'' Trewavas, 1928 * ''Haplochromis mbipi''

& Bouton, 1998 * ''Haplochromis megalops''

& Gee, 1969 * ''Haplochromis melanopterus'' Trewavas, 1928 * ''Haplochromis melanopus''

, 1922 * ''Haplochromis melichrous''

& Gee, 1969 * ''Haplochromis mentatus''

, 1925 * ''Haplochromis mento''

, 1922 * ''Haplochromis michaeli'' Trewavas, 1928 * ''Haplochromis microchrysomelas'' Snoeks, 1994 * ''Haplochromis microdon''

, 1906 * ''Haplochromis multiocellatus''

, 1913 * ''Haplochromis mylergates''

& Barel, 1978 * ''Haplochromis mylodon''

, 1973 * ''Haplochromis nanoserranus''

& Barel, 1978 * ''Haplochromis nigrescens'' Pellegrin, 1909 * ''Haplochromis nigricans''

, 1906 * ''Haplochromis nigripinnis''

, 1921 * ''Haplochromis nigroides'' Pellegrin, 1928 * ''Haplochromis niloticus''

, 1960 * ''Haplochromis nubilus''

, 1906 (Blue Victoria mouthbrooder) * ''Haplochromis nuchisquamulatus'' Hilgendorf, 1888 * ''Haplochromis nyanzae''

, 1962 * ''Haplochromis nyererei'' Witte-Maas & F. Witte, 1985 * ''Haplochromis obesus''

, 1906 * ''Haplochromis obliquidens'' Hilgendorf, 1888 * ''Haplochromis obtusidens'' Trewavas, 1928 * ''Haplochromis occultidens'' Snoeks, 1988 * ''Haplochromis oligolepis''

, 2003 * ''Haplochromis olivaceus'' Snoeks, De Vos, Coenen & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1990 * ''Haplochromis omnicaeruleus'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''Haplochromis oregosoma''

, 1973 * ''Haplochromis orthostoma''

, 1922 * ''Haplochromis pachycephalus''

, 1967 * ''Haplochromis pallidus''

, 1911 * ''Haplochromis pancitrinus'' Mietes & F. Witte, 2010 * ''Haplochromis pappenheimi''

, 1914 * ''Haplochromis paradoxus''

& Les Kaufman, Kaufman, 2003 * ''Haplochromis paraguiarti''

, 1967 * ''Haplochromis paraplagiostoma''

& Gee, 1969 * ''Haplochromis paropius''

& Gee, 1969 * ''Haplochromis parorthostoma''

, 1967 * ''Haplochromis parvidens''

, 1911 * ''Haplochromis paucidens''

, 1921 * ''Haplochromis pellegrini''

, 1922 * ''Haplochromis percoides''

, 1906 * ''Haplochromis perrieri'' Pellegrin, 1909 * ''Haplochromis petronius''

, 1973 * ''Haplochromis pharyngalis'' Poll & Damas, 1939 * ''Haplochromis pharyngomylus''

, 1929 * ''Haplochromis phytophagus''

, 1966 * ''Haplochromis piceatus''

& Gee, 1969 * ''Haplochromis pitmani'' Henry Weed Fowler, Fowler, 1936 * ''Haplochromis placodus'' Poll & Damas, 1939 * ''Haplochromis plagiodon''

& Trewavas, 1928 * ''Haplochromis plagiostoma''

, 1922 * ''Haplochromis plutonius''

& Barel, 1978 * ''Haplochromis prodromus'' Trewavas, 1935 * ''Haplochromis prognathus'' Pellegrin, 1904 * ''Haplochromis pseudopellegrini''

, 1967 * ''Haplochromis ptistes''

& Barel, 1978 * ''Haplochromis pundamilia'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''Haplochromis pyrrhocephalus'' F. Witte & Witte-Maas, 1987 * ''Haplochromis pyrrhopteryx'' van Oijen, 1991 * ''Haplochromis retrodens'' Hilgendorf, 1888 * ''Haplochromis riponianus''

, 1911 * ''Haplochromis rubescens'' Snoeks, 1994 * ''Haplochromis rubripinnis'' Seehausen,

& Bouton, 1998 * ''Haplochromis rudolfianus'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''Haplochromis rufocaudalis'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''Haplochromis rufus'' Seehausen &

, 1998 * ''Haplochromis sauvagei''

, 1896 * ''Haplochromis saxicola''

, 1960 * ''Haplochromis scheffersi'' Snoeks, De Vos & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1987 * ''Haplochromis schubotzi''

, 1914 * ''Haplochromis schubotziellus''

, 1973 * ''Haplochromis serranus''

, 1896 * ''Haplochromis serridens''

, 1925 * ''Haplochromis simotes''

, 1911 * ''Haplochromis simpsoni''

, 1965 * ''Haplochromis smithii'' Francis de Laporte de Castelnau, Castelnau, 1861 * ''Haplochromis snoeksi'' Soleil Wamuini Lunkayilakio, Wamuini Lunkayilakio & Emmanuel J. Vreven, Vreven, 2010 * ''Haplochromis spekii''

, 1906 * ''Haplochromis sphex'' ter Huurne & F. Witte, 2010 * ''Haplochromis squamipinnis''

, 1921 * ''Haplochromis squamulatus''

, 1922 * ''Haplochromis sulphureus''

& Barel, 1978 * ''Haplochromis tanaos'' van Oijen & F. Witte, 1996 * ''Haplochromis taurinus'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''Haplochromis teegelaari''

& Barel, 1978 * ''Haplochromis teunisrasi'' F. Witte & Witte-Maas, 1981 * ''Haplochromis theliodon''

, 1960 * ''Haplochromis thereuterion'' van Oijen & F. Witte, 1996 * ''Haplochromis thuragnathus''

, 1967 * ''Haplochromis tridens''

& Trewavas, 1928 * ''Haplochromis turkanae''

, 1974 (Turkana haplo) * ''Haplochromis tyrianthinus''

& Gee, 1969 * ''Haplochromis ushindi'' van Oijen, 2004 * ''Haplochromis vanheusdeni'' Frederic D. B. Schedel, F. D. B. Schedel, John P. Friel, Friel & Ulrich K. Schliewen, U. K. Schliewen, 2014 * ''Haplochromis vanoijeni'' de Zeeuw & F. Witte, 2010 * ''Haplochromis velifer'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''Haplochromis venator''

, 1965 * ''Haplochromis vicarius'' Trewavas, 1933 * ''Haplochromis victoriae''

, 1956 * ''Haplochromis victorianus'' Pellegrin, 1904 * ''Haplochromis vittatus''

, 1901 * ''Haplochromis vonlinnei'' van Oijen & de Zeeuw, 2008 * ''Haplochromis welcommei''

, 1966 * ''Haplochromis worthingtoni''

, 1929 * ''Haplochromis xanthopteryx'' Seehausen & Bouton, 1998 * ''Haplochromis xenognathus''

, 1957 * ''Haplochromis xenostoma''

, 1922

Undescribed species

These populations are typically referred to by the names they have in the

fish trade. A number of them are likely to represent undescribed distinct species; others might just be subspecies or color morphs. Whether they all belong in ''Haplochromis'' is, of course, doubtful. Some of these populations are: * Haplochromis aff. bloyeti, ''Haplochromis'' aff. ''bloyeti'' * Haplochromis sp. '75', ''Haplochromis'' sp. '75' * Haplochromis sp. 'Amboseli', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'Amboseli' * Haplochromis sp. 'backflash cryptodon', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'backflash cryptodon' * Haplochromis sp. 'black cryptodon', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'black cryptodon' * Haplochromis sp. 'Chala', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'Chala' * Haplochromis sp. 'dusky wine-red fin', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'dusky wine-red fin' * Haplochromis sp. 'frogmouth', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'frogmouth' * Haplochromis sp. 'Kyoga flameback', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'Kyoga flameback' * Haplochromis sp. 'long snout', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'long snout' * Haplochromis sp. 'Migori', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'Migori' * Haplochromis sp. 'nigrofasciatus', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'nigrofasciatus' * Haplochromis sp. 'parvidens-like', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'parvidens-like' * Haplochromis sp. 'purple head', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'purple head' * Haplochromis sp. 'ruby', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'ruby' * Haplochromis sp. 'Rusinga oral sheller', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'Rusinga oral sheller' * Haplochromis sp. 'rainbow sheller', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'rainbow sheller' * Haplochromis sp. 'small obesoid', ''Haplochromis'' sp. 'small obesoid'

Formerly in ''Haplochromis''

Among other genera of Haplochromini that were formerly included here, many are small or monotypic. The distinctness of these is highly doubtful, as they may just be distinct lineages of ''Haplochromis'' or other haplochromines. That nonwithstanding, Haplochromini genera to which some former ''"Haplochromis"'' have been removed are in particular:Linke & Staeck (1994), FishBase 009b/ref> * ''Astatoreochromis'' (3 species) * ''

'' (8 described species) * ''Aulonocara'' (22 species) * ''Buccochromis'' (7 species) * ''Caprichromis'' (2 species) * ''Champsochromis'' (2 species) * ''Cheilochromis'' (monotypic) * ''Chetia'' (6 species) * ''Copadichromis'' (25 described species) * ''Ctenochromis'' (5 living and 1 extinct described species) * ''Ctenopharynx'' (3 species) * ''Cyrtocara'' (monotypic) * ''Dimidiochromis'' (4 species) * ''Eclectochromis'' (2 species) * ''Fossorochromis'' (monotypic) * ''Hemitaeniochromis'' (monotypic) * ''Lethrinops'' (24 species) * ''Maylandia/Metriaclima'' (25 species) * ''Mchenga'' (6 species) * ''Melanochromis'' (27 species) * ''Mylochromis'' (21 species) * ''Naevochromis'' (monotypic) * ''Nimbochromis'' (5 species) * ''Nyassachromis'' (8 species) * ''Orthochromis'' (14 species) * ''Otopharynx'' (13 species) * ''Pharyngochromis'' (2 species) * ''Placidochromis'' (43 species) * ''Protomelas'' (15 species) * ''Pundamilia'' (4 species) * ''Pseudocrenilabrus'' (3 species) * ''Sargochromis'' (8 species) * ''Schwetzochromis'' (monotypic) * ''Sciaenochromis'' (4 species) * ''Stigmatochromis'' (4 species) * ''Taeniochromis'' (monotypic) * ''Taeniolethrinops'' (4 species) * '' Thoracochromis'' (12 species) * ''Tramitichromis'' (5 species) * ''Trematocranus'' (3 species) * ''Tyrannochromis'' (4 species) Some other

were also – mainly by early authors – included in ''Haplochromis'', though they are not members of its

. These are: * ''Anomalochromis thomasi'' of the Hemichromini * ''Altolamprologus compressiceps'' of the Lamprologini * ''Tilapia jallae'' of the Tilapiini

Synonyms of ''Haplochromis''

With all the Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic and systematics, systematic confusion affecting ''Haplochromis'' and its allies, it is hardly surprising that the genus has a large number of junior synonyms. Most referred to small or monotypic genera that were once considered distinct, but are now included in ''Haplochromis'' again, if only to wait for a major review of their status. Synonyms are: * ''Allochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Cleptochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Enterochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Gaurochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Harpagochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Labrochromis'' Regan, 1920 * ''Lipochromis'' Regan, 1920 * ''Platytaeniodus'' Boulenger, 1906 * ''Prognathochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Ptyochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Psammochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Tridontochromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Xystichromis'' Greenwood, 1980 * ''Yssichromis'' Greenwood, 1980 Sometimes other genera listed above are also synonymized.

Footnotes

References

* [2009a]
Valid ''Haplochromis'' species
Retrieved 2009-OCT-03. * 009bbr>''Haplochromis'' taxa
Retrieved 2009-OCT-03. * (2009):
2009 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
'. Version 2009.1. Retrieved 2009-SEP-20. * (2008): Dietary shift in benthivorous cichlids after the ecological changes in Lake Victoria. ''Animal Biology (journal), Anim. Biol.'' 58(4): 401-417. (HTML abstract) * (1994): ''African cichlids II: Cichlids from East Africa. A handbook for their identification, care and breeding.'' Tetra Press, Germany. * (2001): Classification and Phylogenetic Relationships of African Tilapiine Fishes Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequences. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 20(3): 361–374. {{Taxonbar, from=Q133344 Haplochromis, Cichlid fish of Africa Cichlid genera Taxa named by Franz Martin Hilgendorf