Neolamprologus Timidus

''Neolamprologus'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to eastern Africa with all but one species, '' Neolamprologus devosi'' from the Malagarasi River, occurring in Lake Tanganyika. It is the largest genus of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika and also the largest genus in the tribe Lamprologini, which includes '' Altolamprologus'', ''Chalinochromis'', '' Julidochromis'', ''Lamprologus'', '' Lepidiolamprologus'', ''Telmatochromis'' and '' Variabilichromis''. The latter is a monotypic genus doubtfully distinct from ''Neolamprologus''.

It is already known for some time that according to mtDNA sequence analysis, this genus is very probably polyphyletic. It is likely that it will be revised eventually; if ''Variabilichromis'' is split off, at least some of the more ancient lineages currently placed in ''Neolamprologus'' are probably worthy of separation also. However, the morphological similarity and numerous undescribed species do not make analyses easier, and as with many cichlids, recent speciation and abundant hybridization seriously confound molecular studies to the point where single-gene studies or those using only mtDNA or nDNA are essentially worthless for resolving Lamprologini phylogeny.Sturmbauer ''et al.'' (1994), Day ''et al.'' (2007)

While lineages are clearly different in their morphology, habits and ecology, gene flow between genera and species is common enough due to extremely low postzygotic isolation. Males of ''Neolamprologus'' apparently have always readily and successfully mated with females of other Lamprologini they found ready to spawn: mtDNA lineages similar to other Lamprologini genera are widely encountered in species placed in ''Neolamprologus''. And not only do such hybrids seem to be fertile at least to a limited extent in many cases, new species often appear to originate from such interbreeding.Day ''et al.'' (2007)

Species

There are currently 46 recognized species in this genus:

* '' Neolamprologus bifasciatus'' Büscher, 1993
* ''Neolamprologus boulengeri'' Steindachner, 1909
* '' Neolamprologus brevis'' Boulenger, 1899
* ''Neolamprologus brichardi'' Poll, 1974
* ''Neolamprologus buescheri'' Staeck, 1983
* ''Neolamprologus cancellatus'' Aibara, T. Takahashi & Nakaya, 2005
* '' Neolamprologus caudopunctatus'' Poll, 1978
* ''Neolamprologus chitamwebwai'' Verburg & I. R. Bills, 2007
* ''Neolamprologus christyi'' Trewavas & Poll, 1952
* ''Neolamprologus crassus'' Brichard, 1989
* ''Neolamprologus cylindricus'' Staeck & Seegers, 1986
* '' Neolamprologus devosi'' Schelly, Stiassny & Seegers, 2003
* ''Neolamprologus falcicula'' Brichard, 1989
* ''Neolamprologus fasciatus'' Boulenger, 1898
* ''Neolamprologus furcifer'' Boulenger, 1898
* ''Neolamprologus gracilis'' Brichard, 1989
* ''Neolamprologus helianthus'' Büscher, 1997
* ''Neolamprologus leleupi'' Poll, 1956
* '' Neolamprologus leloupi'' Poll, 1948
* ''Neolamprologus longicaudatus'' Nakaya & Gashagaza, 1995
* ''Neolamprologus longior'' Staeck, 1980
* ''Neolamprologus marunguensis'' Büscher, 1989
* ''Neolamprologus modestus'' Boulenger, 1898
* '' Neolamprologus mondabu'' Boulenger, 1906
* ''Neolamprologus multifasciatus'' Boulenger, 1906
* ''Neolamprologus mustax'' Poll, 1978
* ''Neolamprologus niger'' Poll, 1956
* ''Neolamprologus nigriventris'' Büscher, 1992
* ''Neolamprologus obscurus'' Poll, 1978
* ''Neolamprologus olivaceous'' Brichard, 1989
* ''Neolamprologus pectoralis'' Büscher, 1991
* '' Neolamprologus petricola'' Poll, 1949
* ''Neolamprologus pleuromaculatus'' Trewavas & Poll, 1952
* '' Neolamprologus prochilus'' R. M. Bailey & D. J. Stewart, 1977
* ''Neolamprologus pulcher'' Trewavas & Poll, 1952
* ''Neolamprologus savoryi'' Poll, 1949
* ''Neolamprologus schreyeni'' Poll, 1974
* '' Neolamprologus sexfasciatus'' Trewavas & Poll, 1952
* ''Neolamprologus similis'' Büscher, 1992
* '' Neolamprologus splendens'' Brichard, 1989
* '' Neolamprologus tetracanthus'' Boulenger, 1899 (Fourspine cichlid)
* '' Neolamprologus timidus'' S. O. Kullander, Norén, Mi. Karlsson & Ma. Karlsson, 2014 Kullander, S.O., Norén, M., Karlsson, M. & Karlsson, M. (2014)
Description of ''Neolamprologus timidus'', new species, and review of ''N. furcifer'' from Lake Tanganyika (Teleostei: Cichlidae).
''Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 24 (4) 013 301-328.''
* ''Neolamprologus toae'' Poll, 1949
* ''Neolamprologus tretocephalus'' Boulenger, 1899
* ''Neolamprologus variostigma'' Büscher, 1995
* '' Neolamprologus ventralis'' Büscher, 1995
* ''Neolamprologus walteri'' Verburg & I. R. Bills, 2007
* ''Neolamprologus wauthioni'' Poll, 1949

Footnotes

References

* (2007): Phylogenetic relationships of the Lake Tanganyika cichlid tribe Lamprologini: The story from mitochondrial DNA. '' Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.'' 45(2): 629–642. (HTML abstract)
* (1998): ''Tanganyikan cichlids in their natural habitat''. Cichlid Press.
* (2003): ''Neolamprologus pulcher'' "Daffodil II". ''Fincinnati'' 2003
PDF fulltext
* (1994): Mitochondrial phylogeny of the Lamprologini, the major substrate spawning lineage of cichild fishes from Lake Tanganyika in eastern Africa. '' Mol. Biol. Evol.'' 11(4): 691-703
PDF fulltext

{{Taxonbar, from=Q132743

Lamprologini
*
Cichlid genera