# Chindongo



## dusanmal (Jan 24, 2016)

Does anyone has more accessible info on the newly defined Chindongo genus? I got curious after the short article posted here on the home page as I have few Pseudotropheus heteropictus chizmulu which same as Elongatus did bounce between genuses before and fits what little I can grasp about Chindongo genus... Chindongo heteropicta/heteropictus?


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## dusanmal (Jan 24, 2016)

Just to add what are species of this new genus to the best of my understanding:
Chindongo alter/Pseudotropheus alter
Chindongo bellicosus/Pseudotropheus Elongatus aggressive
Chindongo cyaneus/Pseudotropheus cyaneus
Chindongo demasoni/Pseudotropheus demasoni
Chindongo Elongatus/Pseudotropheus Elongatus
Chindongo flavus/Pseudotropheus flavus
Chindongo heteropictus/Pseudotropheus heteropictus
Chindongo longior/Pseudotropheus longior
Chindongo minutus/Pseudotropheus minutus
Chindongo saulosi/Pseudotropheus saulosi
Chindongo socolofi/Pseudotropheus socolofi


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The information is behind a paywall. The authors want you to have a paid subscription. And those members who DO have a paid subscription sign an agreement not to reproduce the information without permission from the publisher.

What type of information are you looking for?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

dusanmal said:


> Just to add what are species of this new genus to the best of my understanding:
> Chindongo alter/Pseudotropheus alter
> Chindongo bellicosus/Pseudotropheus Elongatus aggressive
> Chindongo cyaneus/Pseudotropheus cyaneus
> ...


Based on what I read in this thread:http://www.cichlidae.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=19106&sid=7128eda03945a1f7dad09b36488f8b71, I believe that is correct.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

The Cichlidroom companion has posted the names and pictures of the new species which are described in the article by Li et al. As mentioned above, these are re-classifications rather than discovery of a new species.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

The abstract from Li et al., which is publicly accessible, is copied here:


> Lake Malaŵi is known for its endemic haplochromine species flock, most notably the rock-dwelling cichlids known as mbuna. The group of mbuna referred to as the Pseudotropheus elongatus species group is currently comprised of Metriaclima spp., Tropheops spp., Cynotilapia spp., and Pseudotropheus spp. In this study, Chindongo, a new genus with the type species C. bellicosus, is described for additional species in this group. Chindongo is distinguished from other mbuna genera by 1) the presence of bicuspid teeth in the anterior portion of the outer row of both upper and lower jaw; 2) a moderately to steeply sloped vomer with a narrow rostral tip which makes an angle of between 53° and 68° with the parasphenoid; 3) a small mouth with the lower jaw slightly shorter than the upper; 4) a broad anterior dentigerous area on both premaxilla and dentary with three or more rows of teeth (usually 5-6 rows); 5) a flank melanin pattern consisting of vertical bars without horizontal elements at any stage of development. Chindongo bellicosus is distinguished by its color pattern and shallower body from the other species which we have transferred to Chindongo. We also describe six new elongate mbuna species and place them into three available genera, they include: Metriaclima flavicauda, M. usisyae, Tropheops kumwera, T. biriwera, T. kamtambo, and Cynotilapia chilundu.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

What does that leave in Pseudotropheus? Just a few random Mbuna that are probably unrelated.

I wonder about the Johanni group? Always thought they were similar to some of these elongated mbuna.


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## awanderingmoose (Aug 11, 2016)

I thought that was the point of pseudotropheus, sort of a holding pen of species prior to a more formal classification?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

awanderingmoose said:


> I thought that was the point of pseudotropheus, sort of a holding pen of species prior to a more formal classification?


Originally Pseudotropheus was supposed to be a valid genus, but they didn't realize that there were so many different species all over the lake. Also a terrible choice was made for the type species, P. williamsi, which is not Tropheus-like at all, nor like the other Aufwuchs eaters/pickers, so it has not been a very useful genus.


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## LXXero (May 4, 2016)

johanni and maingano got thrown into pseudotropheus as well when they got tossed out of melanochromis, probably should be their own category as well.


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