Neolamprologus hecqui
Encyclopedia
Neolamprologus hecqui is a species of fish
in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika
, where it is found in the waters of Burundi
, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, Tanzania
, and Zambia
.
It is sometimes placed in Lepidiolamprologus
, and this may well be appropriate. As it seems, it belongs to a group also including N. boulengeri
and N. meeli
(both also probable members of Lepidiolamprologus), L. attenuatus
and L. kendalli
.
As hybridization seems to have played a major role in the radiation of this group, the exact relationships of the present species are obscure. The present species might be quite close to L./N. meeli, or to L./N. boulengeri and L. attenuatus. In the latter case, there would have been hybridization between a L./N. hecqui female and a L./N. meeli male in the past.
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate 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...
in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
, where it is found in the waters of Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, and Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
.
It is sometimes placed in Lepidiolamprologus
Lepidiolamprologus
Lepidiolamprologus is a small genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in eastern Africa. It is closely related to Altolamprologus....
, and this may well be appropriate. As it seems, it belongs to a group also including N. boulengeri
Neolamprologus boulengeri
Neolamprologus boulengeri is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to the northern part of Lake Tanganyika, where is found in the waters of Burundi and Tanzania....
and N. meeli
Neolamprologus meeli
Neolamprologus meeli is a cichlid species in the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it is found in the waters of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia....
(both also probable members of Lepidiolamprologus), L. attenuatus
Lepidiolamprologus attenuatus
Lepidiolamprologus attenuatus is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is found in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is intermittent freshwater lakes.-Source:...
and L. kendalli
Lepidiolamprologus kendalli
Lepidiolamprologus kendalli is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to Zambia. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes. Its status is insufficiently known.-Source:* Bigirimana, C. 2005. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
.
As hybridization seems to have played a major role in the radiation of this group, the exact relationships of the present species are obscure. The present species might be quite close to L./N. meeli, or to L./N. boulengeri and L. attenuatus. In the latter case, there would have been hybridization between a L./N. hecqui female and a L./N. meeli male in the past.