Labidochromis

Labidochromis is a genus of cichlid fishes that are endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. The genus includes 18 formally described species, and several yet undescribed species. It includes a number of species commonly kept in cichlid aquariums such as L. caeruleus (electric yellow). The species in this genus can easily hybridize, so if kept in an aquarium it is recommended to only have one species from this genus.

Labidochromis
Labidochromis sp. "Hongi Island"
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cichliformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Tribe:	Haplochromini
Genus:	Labidochromis Trewavas, 1935
Type species
Labidochromis vellicans Trewavas, 1935

Labidochromis caeruleus

Species

There are currently 18 recognized species in this genus:[1]

• Labidochromis caeruleus Fryer, 1956 (Blue streak hap)
• Labidochromis chisumulae D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis flavigulis D. S. C. Lewis, 1982 (Chisumulu pearl)
• Labidochromis freibergi D. S. Johnson, 1974
• Labidochromis gigas D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis heterodon D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis ianthinus D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis lividus D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis maculicauda D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis mathotho W. E. Burgess & H. R. Axelrod, 1976
• Labidochromis mbenjii D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis mylodon D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis pallidus D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis shiranus D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis strigatus D. S. C. Lewis, 1982
• Labidochromis textilis M. K. Oliver, 1975
• Labidochromis vellicans Trewavas, 1935
• Labidochromis zebroides D. S. C. Lewis, 1982

There is also one potentially undescribed species:

• Labidochromis sp. Hongi

References

1. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). Species of Labidochromis in FishBase. February 2013 version.