Thoracochromis is a fish genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of haplochromine cichlids

Haplochromine

The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe of cichlids in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus plus a number of closely related genera such as Aulonocara, Astatotilapia, and Chilotilapia. They are endemic to eastern and southern Africa...

 that are endemic to Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

. Most species are from rivers in Angola

Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...

 and Namibia

Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

, or the Congo River Basin in Central Africa

Central Africa

Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....

, but one (T. wingatii) is from the Nile

Nile

The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...

. Many species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 have been moved between this genus and Haplochromis

Haplochromis

Haplochromis is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cichlidae. It has been used as the default "wastebin taxon" for Pseudocrenilabrinae cichlids of the East African Rift, and as such became the "largest" fish "genus"...

, and while some consensus has been reached in recent years, their mutual delimitation is still far from settled.

Species

At present, 12 species are placed in Thoracochromis:

• Thoracochromis albolabris (Trewavas & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1969) – Thicklipped Happy
• Thoracochromis bakongo (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1964)
• Thoracochromis brauschi
  Thoracochromis brauschi
  Thoracochromis brauschi is a species of cichlid fish, endemic to the Fwa River in the Kasai-Oriental province, Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa.-References:...
  
  (Poll & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1965)
• Thoracochromis buysi (Penrith, 1970) – Namib Happy
• Thoracochromis callichromus (Poll, 1948)
• Thoracochromis demeusii (Boulenger, 1899)
• Thoracochromis fasciatus (Perugia, 1892)
• Thoracochromis lucullae (Boulenger, 1913)
• Thoracochromis moeruensis (Boulenger, 1899)
• Thoracochromis schwetzi (Poll, 1967)
• Thoracochromis stigmatogenys (Boulenger, 1913)
• Thoracochromis wingatii (Boulenger, 1902)