Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Haplochromis vonlinnei (Haplochromis vonlinnei), recorded as Critically Endangered
Haplochromis vonlinnei (Haplochromis vonlinnei). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Haplochromis vonlinnei

Haplochromis vonlinnei

Haplochromis vonlinnei is a cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Haplochromis vonlinnei
Taxonomy
Perciformes · Cichlidae · Haplochromis

Appearance

Haplochromis vonlinnei is a moderate-sized, slender cichlid with an acute snout, slightly protruding lower jaw and curved teeth. It is a greyish color with a narrow, intermittent blackish dorsal-lateral band and a broader, more distinct mid-lateral band. The flanks are yellowish and the belly white.

Haplochromis vonlinnei ranges in size from 115 to 159 mm (4.5 to 6.3 in).

Range and habitat

Haplochromis vonlinnei is endemic to Lake Victoria where it is known from the Mwanza Gulf region in Tanzania. It is presumed to be a demersal fish and is found near the lakebed over muddy substrates at depths between 5.5 and 18 m (18 and 59 ft). Haplochromis vonlinnei is a cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet

Cichlids defend a territory or a brood. Diet in the family runs from algae scrapers to piscivores; this page does not invent a menu for one species.

In crisis

The population of the species has declined due to the introduction of the Nile perch in the 1950s. It has not been recorded since 1980 and the IUCN lists it as "Critically Endangered" and considers it may already be extinct.

Haplochromis vonlinnei is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Haplochromis vonlinnei, Wikidata item Q147228. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Haplochromis crassilabris (Haplochromis crassilabris), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Haplochromis crassilabris

Haplochromis crassilabris
Photograph of Haplochromis flavipinnis (Haplochromis flavipinnis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Haplochromis flavipinnis

Haplochromis flavipinnis
Photograph of Haplochromis granti (Haplochromis granti), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Haplochromis granti

Haplochromis granti
Photograph of Haplochromis guiarti (Haplochromis guiarti), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Haplochromis guiarti

Haplochromis guiarti

Quick answers

What is Haplochromis vonlinnei?
Haplochromis vonlinnei is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae (order Perciformes).
What is the conservation status of Haplochromis vonlinnei?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Haplochromis vonlinnei. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Haplochromis vonlinnei live?
Haplochromis vonlinnei is endemic to Lake Victoria where it is known from the Mwanza Gulf region in Tanzania.
Why is Haplochromis vonlinnei in crisis?
It has not been recorded since 1980 and the IUCN lists it as "Critically Endangered" and considers it may already be extinct.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Haplochromis vonlinnei?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Haplochromis vonlinnei a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.