Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Sulfurhead aulonocara (Aulonocara maylandi), recorded as Critically Endangered
Sulfurhead aulonocara (Aulonocara maylandi). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Sulfurhead aulonocara

Aulonocara maylandi

The sulfurhead aulonocara or sulfurhead peacock is a haplochromine cichlid that is endemic to Lake Malawi in the country of Malawi and has only been observed on West Reef (Luwala Reef) and Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef).

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Aulonocara maylandi
Taxonomy
Perciformes · Cichlidae · Aulonocara

Appearance

It closely resembles the blue orchid aulonocara (Aulonocara kandeense) though it develops a yellow blaze across its dorsal In the past these two taxa have been considered to be subspecies.

Range and habitat

The sulfurhead aulonocara or sulfurhead peacock is a haplochromine cichlid that is endemic to Lake Malawi in the country of Malawi and has only been observed on West Reef (Luwala Reef) and Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef). In this mouthbrooding species, the eggs are cared for by the females only, and it is found over mixed sand and rocky areas where they hunt small invertebrates in the sand.

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

It is threatened by collection for the aquarium trade and this has caused a 70% reduction in numbers.

Sulfurhead aulonocara 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 Sulfurhead aulonocara, Wikidata item Q3318933. 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 Nkhomo-benga Peacock (Aulonocara baenschi), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Nkhomo-benga Peacock

Aulonocara baenschi
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Quick answers

What is Sulfurhead aulonocara?
Sulfurhead aulonocara is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae (order Perciformes) — Aulonocara maylandi.
What is the conservation status of Sulfurhead aulonocara?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Aulonocara maylandi. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Sulfurhead aulonocara live?
The sulfurhead aulonocara or sulfurhead peacock is a haplochromine cichlid that is endemic to Lake Malawi in the country of Malawi and has only been observed on West Reef (Luwala Reef) and Eccles Reef (Chimwalani Reef).
Why is Sulfurhead aulonocara in crisis?
It is threatened by collection for the aquarium trade and this has caused a 70% reduction in numbers.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Aulonocara maylandi?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Sulfurhead aulonocara a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.