TAXONOMY
Kindom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinoptergii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae (cichlids)
Subfamily: Etroplinae

Genus/species: Paretroplus menarambo

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: When young, Mearambos are a pale gold with black dots in a pin stripe pattern. As they reach adulthood, around 4 inches or 3 years of age, they are blue/gray to almost white with black dot pin stripes. The fins are edged in red, especially the tail. Max length : 12.8 cm (5 in).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Endemic to Madagascar. Present in the freshwater flood plain lakes of the Bemarivo River, the major northwards-flowing tributary of the Sofia River in northwestern Madagascar. The species is now known to occur in a single lake of that system: Lac Tseny.

DIET IN THE WILD: Have teeth specially designed for crushing snail shells.

REPRODUCTION: Substrate spawner. Eggs are laid in a pit and will adhere to surfaces such as driftwood.

PREDATORS: Critically endangered species threatened by invasive species and over-fishing.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red list: Critically Endangered (CR)
No data are available on the wild population; previously it was thought to have disappeared from its native range, but more recent surveys rediscovered the species in Lac Tseny Habitat degradation, the presence of invasive exotic species and overfishing account for its Critically Endangered status. Breeding populations of this species are maintained in captivity.

LOCATION Madagascar MA04

References

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=57958

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/44492/0

Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/211122/details

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