Paretroplus polyactis is a vulnerable

Vulnerable species

On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...

 species of cichlid

Cichlid

Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...

 fish found widely in fresh and brackish water in coastal regions and associated river basins in eastern Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

. It is the only Paretroplus

Paretroplus

Paretroplus is a genus of fishes in the cichlid family, all of which are endemic to lakes and rivers of Madagascar. The vast majority are threatened and restricted to the northwestern part of the island. Only P. polyactis is found in the southern half of Madagascar and only P. polyactis and P....

found in the southern half of Madagascar, and one of only two found in eastern drainages (the other is the far more restricted P. loisellei

Paretroplus loisellei

Paretroplus loisellei is a vulnerable species of cichlid fish from the Mahanara River basin north of Sambava in northeastern Madagascar. Until its scientific description in 2011, this population was usually referred to as Paretroplus sp. nov. "Ventitry" or included in P. damii, which it resembles...

). P. polyactis is threatened by habitat loss and overfishing

Overfishing

Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....

. This relatively deep-bodied Paretroplus reaches 30 centimetres (11.8 in) in length. It shares a large part of its range with a cichlid from another genus, Ptychochromis grandidieri

Ptychochromis grandidieri

Ptychochromis grandidieri is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to river basins along a large part of the eastern coast of Madagascar, although it has been recorded as far as inland. Uniquely in the genus Ptychochromis, this species also occurs in brackish water. It reaches a...

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