Ptychochromis is a genus of fishes from the 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...

 family. They are found in rivers and lakes in Madagascar

Madagascar

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

, and a single species (P. 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...

) can also be seen in brackish water. Most species in this genus are threatened

Threatened species

Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...

, and P. onilahy is probably extinct. Most reach a length of 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 in), but P. grandidieri reaches about 21.5 centimetres (8.5 in).

Species

With the exception of P. grandidieri and P. oligacanthus, all species in this genus were only scientifically described

Binomial nomenclature

Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...

 after 2000. Additionally, it has been suggested that cichlids from the eastern Anosy Region in far southeastern Madagascar actually represent two undescribed species, popularly known as Ptychochromis sp. nov. "Tarantsy" and Ptychochromis sp. nov. "Manampanihy".

• Ptychochromis curvidens
• Ptychochromis ernestmagnusi
  Ptychochromis ernestmagnusi
  Ptychochromis ernestmagnusi is a species of fish in the cichlid family. At present, this recently described species is only known from the Mananara du Nord River in northeastern Madagascar, but it is probably more widespread in that region. If so, it likely occurs in the Mananara-Nord Biosphere...
  
  
• 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...
  
  
• Ptychochromis inornatus
  Ptychochromis inornatus
  Ptychochromis inornatus is an endangered species of fish in the cichlid family. It is endemic to the Ankofia River basin and its tribuaries in the eastern part of the Mahajanga Province in Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss. It reaches a length of about ....
  
  
• Ptychochromis insolitus
  Ptychochromis insolitus
  Ptychochromis insolitus is a critically endangered species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to the Amboaboa and Mangarahara Rivers near Mandritsara in northern Madagascar. Prior to its official description, it was sometimes known as Ptychochromis sp. nov. "Joba mena" or Ptychochromis...
  
  
• Ptychochromis loisellei
• Ptychochromis makira
  Ptychochromis makira
  Ptychochromis makira is a species of fish in the cichlid family. It is only known from the Antainambalana River in the nothernmost part of the Toamasina Province in Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss and overfishing, and has suffered a severe decline in recent years. It reaches about in...
  
  
• Ptychochromis oligacanthus
  Ptychochromis oligacanthus
  Ptychochromis oligacanthus is a species of fish in the cichlid family. It is endemic in fresh water habitats in the western part of the Antsiranana Province in Madagascar. The population on the island of Nosy Be appears to be stable, but the mainland populations are threatened by habitat loss. It...
  
  
• Ptychochromis onilahy