''Placidochromis'' 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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

in Eastern Africa. They are part of the

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 ...

lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis''

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 ...

live in the open or sandy regions of the lake.

Species

There are currently 43 recognized species in this genus: * ''

Placidochromis acuticeps ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis acutirostris ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis argyrogaster ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis boops ''Placidochromis boops'' is a species of deep-water African cichlid endemic to the southern portion of Lake Malawi. This species can reach a length of up to SL. Etymology The generic name of this species, ''Placidochromis'', is derived from t ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis borealis ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis chilolae ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis communis ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis domirae ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis ecclesi ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis electra The deep-water hap (''Placidochromis electra'') is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it prefers areas with sandy substrates, generally at depths of around . This species can reach a length of SL. This species can also be found ...

'' ( W. E. Burgess, 1979) (Deepwater Hap) * ''

Placidochromis elongatus ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis fuscus ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis hennydaviesae ''Placidochromis hennydaviesae'' is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is only known from the southern portions of the lake. It is found in areas with muddy substrates at depths of from . This species can reach a length of T ...

'' ( W. E. Burgess & H. R. Axelrod, 1973) * ''

Placidochromis intermedius ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis johnstoni ''Placidochromis johnstoni'' is a species of cichlid native to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper reaches of the Shire River where it prefers shallow waters with plentiful vegetation. This species can reach a length of TL. It can also b ...

'' ( Günther, 1894) * ''

Placidochromis koningsi ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis lineatus ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis longimanus ''Placidochromis longimanus'' is a species of cichlid native to the southern portion of Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the Shire River. It is believed to only be found in areas vegetated with ''Ceratophyllum'' and ''Najas'' at approximately in d ...

'' ( Trewavas, 1935) * ''

Placidochromis longirostris ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis longus'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis lukomae ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis macroceps'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis macrognathus'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis mbunoides ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis milomo'' M. K. Oliver, 1989 (Super VC-10 Hap) * '' Placidochromis minor'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis minutus'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis msakae'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis nigribarbis ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis nkhatae'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis nkhotakotae'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis obscurus'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis ordinarius'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis orthognathus'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis pallidus'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis phenochilus ''Placidochromis phenochilus'' is a species of cichlid endemic to the northern parts of 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 E ...

'' ( Trewavas, 1935) * '' Placidochromis platyrhynchos'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis polli ''Placidochromis polli'' is a species of cichlid endemic to the southern portions of Lake Malawi where it prefers areas with muddy or sandy substrates at depths of greater than . This species can reach a length of SL. Etymology Its specific ...

'' ( W. E. Burgess & H. R. Axelrod, 1973) * '' Placidochromis rotundifrons'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis subocularis'' ( Günther, 1894) * ''

Placidochromis trewavasae ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * ''

Placidochromis turneri ''Placidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. They are part of the haplochromine lineage of Lake Malawi's cichlid taxa. Most ''Placidochromis'' species live in the open or sandy regions of the lake. Species ...

'' Hanssens, 2004 * '' Placidochromis vulgaris'' Hanssens, 2004

References

Haplochromini * Cichlid genera Taxa named by David Henry Eccles Taxa named by Ethelwynn Trewavas {{Cichlidae-stub