Central American Cichlids Aequidens - Latin, aequus, equal, equally + Latin, dens, dentis = teeth coeruleopunctatus - blue spotted: coerulea= blue ; punctata/punctatum= spotted Amphilophus - crested on both sides: Greek, amphi = on both sides + Greek, lophos = crest alfari - in honor of A. Alfaro altifrons - tall forehead: alti-, a prefix indicating the characteristic of being tall; frons = forehead amarillo - Amarillo = yellow (Spanish); In reference to the overall color of the fish. bussingi - after William Bussing calobrensis - refers to being from Rio Calobre, Panama. citrinellus- means lemon like; refering to the lemon like yellow color of the fish. diquis - from Diquis, Costa Rica hogaboomorus - named after the two brothers George and Peter Hogaboom, who collected the type material together with the authors Carr & Giovanoli labiatus - means "posessing lips"; labium is from New Latin meaning "lip", the suffix -atus is a suffix for nounsmeaning "possessive of"; this refers to the large lips of this species longimanus - means long hands; referring to the pectoral fins. lyonsi - named after Dr. William G. (Bill) Lyons macracanthus- means Large spined margaritifer - Latin margarita, "a pearl," hence pertaining to pearls, being pearly nourissati - After one of the discoverers of the species for science and hobby, the great french cichlid aquarist Jean Claude Nourissat (1941-2003). rhytisma - rhytisma comes from Greek: interrupted, towards the interrupted link concerning the flank robertsoni - named after the owner of a rubber plantation in Cameroun, Dr. Robertson rostratus - rostrata/rostratum = beaked sagittae - from Latin "sagitta", meaning arrow, which refers to the slender shape of this species trimaculatus - means three spots; tri = three, maculated = spotted urophthalmus - uro - from the Greek oura, "a tail"; opthalmic = Of or relating to the eye - this refers to the eyespot on the tail xiloaensis - After the type locality in lake Xiloa, Nicaragua. zaliosus - "zale" (wave) and "ios" (arrow); sp. 'Apoyo amarillo' - undescribed species; current name refers to the similar appearance to A. amarillo, and it's natural habitat, Lago Apoyo, Nicaragua. sp. 'Chancho' - undescribed species; current name means "pig" in spanish sp. 'fat lips' - sp. 'Monte Galan' - undescribed species; current name refers to Monte Galan, a crater lake in Nicaragua. sp. 'short' - Archocentrus - Greek, archo = anus + Greek, kentron = stinger; referring to the spine on the anal fin centrarchus - centrarchus comes from Greek, kentron = stinger and archo = anus. this name was given to this species because of similarity in appearance to the flier sunfish of the genus Centrarchus octofasciatus - means eight barred; octo=eight and fascia=bar or stripe panamensis - from Panama spinosissimus - means "The most spiny". Caquetaia - from Caqueta river umbrifera- shadowcarrier . From the latin umbra = dark spot or shadow and ferre = to carry. This is referring to the dark lateral band in this species. Chuco- was christened "Chuco" after an indigeneous designation godmanni - named after Frederick DuCane Godmann intermedium -means "in the middle"; inter means within , medium is middle microphthalmus - micro=small + opthalmus=eye 'Cichlasoma' - Greek, kichle = wrasse or type of fish + Greek, soma = body atromaculatum - atro-: a prefix conveying the sense of "blackish or very dark,"; maculated means spotted; so atromaculatum means "bearing dark spots" beani - named after ichthyologist Tarleton Hoffmann Bean grammodes - means "linked with lines" istlanum - refers to type locallity - Rio Ixtla at Puente de Ixtla, Morelos, México salvini - named after O. Salvin Cryptoheros- means hidden hero- From Greek, Krypto = hide, cover, conceal; Greek, heros=hero altoflavus - alto = high (Latin) + flavus = yellow (Latin); In comparisson with its closest relative; C. nanoluteus, as being of higher body and with more yellow. cutteri- had been named after the president of the United Fruit Company at that time, Victor M. Cutter myrnae - named in honor of the director of the zoological museum of the university of Costa Rica, Myrna Lopez Sanchez nanoluteus - means small and golden; Greek : nano = small, luteus = golden nigrofasciatus - with black stripes ; negro means black, fasciated means striped or barred from Greek word fascia sajica - in honor of Salvador Jimenez Canossa, director of library of Costa Rica septemfasciatus - seven stripes(or bars): septem = seven ; fascia means "barred" spilurus- From the Latin spilurus = 'with spots on the tail' sp. 'Honduran red point'- undescribed species; current name is referring to the place of collection (Honduras) and the 'red point' refers to the red fins, which is especially evident in males of this species. Geophagus - eartheater -Greek, gea = the earth + Greek, phagein = to eat crassilabris- thick lipped: Latin crassus, "thick,"; labris from Latin root Labr-, referring a "lip" Herichthys - Greek, eri = very, a lot + Greek, ichthys = fish bartoni - Named by the author after his brother the ichthyologist Barton A. Bean (1860-1947). bocourti - In honour of ichthyologist Bocourt carpintis - Refers to the type locality at Laguna del Carpintero (Carpenter's lagoon) at the mouth of the Rio Pánuco drainage. cyanoguttatus - cyano- refers to the color cyan (bluish-green); Guttatus is Latin for "speckled"; so means with cyan speckles deppii - named after the collector Ferdinand Deppe labridens - labrum = lip (Latin) and dens = tooth(Latin); in reference to the easily visible tooth they hold in the upper lips, visible even in live specimens. minckleyi - named after Dr. Wendel Lee(W.L) Minckley pantostictus- means "everywhere spotted" pearsei - named for the American zoologist Athur Sparry Pearse steindachneri - In honor of Franz Steindachner, the Austrian ichthyologist, (1834-1919) tamasopoensis - from Rio Tomasapo in mexico sp. 'Cazones' - sp. 'Pantepec' - sp. 'Rio Salto' - sp. 'white labridens' - Herotilapia - hero-fish - Hero comes from Greek word heros meaning hero or warrior; tilapia is from Bechuana, African native word thiape = fish multispinosa - means "many spines" Hypsophrys - Greek : hypselos = high, ophrys = eyebrow nicaraguensis - from Nicaragua Nandopsis - dwarflike appearance from the greek nano = dwarf and opsi = appearance. This is certanly hard to imagine, when seeing a fully grown male Haitian cichlid. Though, the sample specimen were tiny, indeed. haitiensis - from Haiti ramsdeni - named to the collector Charles T. Ramsden tetracanthus - four spines (thorns): prefix tetra- means four; acantha = thorn vombergae - named to the zoologist Mia vom mount Neetroplus - Greek, neos = new , etroplus. means "new etroplus" as the author thought this was similar to the Etroplus genus of Asia. nematopus - nematopus is referring to the long ventral fins of this species - "with threadlike feet"; "nematos" (thread) and "podos" (leg, extremity; pod=foot). Parachromis - Greek, para = the side of + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch dovii - after Captain Dow; note: theletter "w" does not exist in the Latin alphabet friedrichsthalii - named to the Austrian collector baron von Friedrichsthal loisellei -named after Paul Loiselle managuensis - after Lago Managua which is in Nicaragua motaguensis - After Rio Motagua in Honduras Paraneetroplus - means "similar to Neetroplus" :Greek, para = near, similar bulleri - named after the sample collecter Buller gibbiceps -means "With a hump on the head" nebuliferum- means cloudcarrier from latin nebula = cloud or mist and ferre = to carry. This refers to the dark mottling on the sides of this cichlid omonti- Robert Allgayer dedicated this species to a fellow Association Francaise Cichlide member Petenia - Taken from lake Peten in Guatemala splendida- splendid (shining, beautiful) Theraps - means "keeper" coeruleus - coerulea= blue irregulare - irregular lentiginosus - lentiginosus means freckled, or spotted wesseli - named after Rusty Wessel, whom discovered this species Thorichthys - from Greek: thor = dragging, ichthys = fish, the name was given by Meek to express jumping fish affinis - means Neighbouring, or related. in reference to it's relation with T. meeki aureus - means "color of gold" callolepis - means "beautiful scales" - callo from the Greek kallos, "beautiful,"; lepis: in compound words referring to a scale helleri - named for the Austrian Karl Bartholomäus Heller maculipinnis - means "spotted fins" meeki - named after american ichthyologist Seth E. Meek pasionis - from Rio de la Pasion (Guatemala) socolofi named after Ross Socolof sp. 'Mixteco blue' - sp. 'Mixteco gold' sp. 'Mixteco green' Tomocichla - Greek, tomo = portion, cut + Greek, kichle = wrasse asfraci - After the ASsociation FRAnce CIchlid. sieboldii - named for the German zoologist Carl Theodor seriousness von Siebold tuba - apparantly, named after the musical instrument. the author was referring to the "trumpet shape" of this species Vieja - in Spanish, vieja = old woman argentea - The latin word for silver is argentum (hence the abbreviation of Ag for silver on the periodic table)... argentea = silver fish. bifasciatus - bi means two or both, fasciated mean striped - menas striped on both sides breidohri - named in honor of the collector Hans-Günther Breidohr fenestratus - windowed? : fenestra is latin for window or sill guttulatus - with broad speckles :Guttatus is Latin for "speckled"; Latin word "latus " = broad, wide, extensive hartwegi - named after amercian Norman E. Hartweg heterospila - means "with derogatory spots" maculicauda - spotted tail: macula = spot, cauda=tail melanurus - referring to being dark on the belly; think melanin regani - Named after Charles Tate Regan (1878-1943), British ichthyologist that got to be director of the British Museum of Natural History (1927 to 1938). synspila - with amalgamated (joined to form a larger group) spots tuyrense - from Rio Tuyra, Panama ufermanni - After Alfred Ufermann, German Aquarist. zonatus - means banded South American Cichlids Acarichthys -Acara, in its turn from the Tupi-Guarani name for cichlid, acará, and ikthys, Greek noun meaning fish. heckelii Acaronia -Acaropsis — Acara, another cichlid genus, to which Acaronia nassa initially was referred, in its turn based on the Tupi-Guarani name for cichlids, acará; and the Greek suffix -opsis meaning like. Acaronia — same as Acaronia, but with different ending, of unknown derivation. nassa vultuosa Aequidens -Aequidens is formed from the Latin adjective aequus meaning same or equal, and the Latin noun dens, meaning tooth, referring to the even-sized teeth in contrast to Astronotus with enlarged anterior teeth. biseriatus chimantanus coeruleopunctatus diadema epae gerciliae hoehnei mauesanus metae michaeli pallidus paloemeuensis patricki plagiozonatus planifrons potaroensis pulcher rivulatus rondoni sapayensis tetramerus tubicen viridis sp. 'Atabapo' sp. 'gold saum' sp. 'Jaru' sp. 'silver saum' Amphilophus - crested on both sides: Greek, amphi = on both sides + Greek, lophos = crest festae Apistogramma -Apistogramma is from apistos, a Greek adjective meaning uncertain, inconstant, unstable, faithless, etc., and gramme, a Greek feminine noun meaning line. The name refers to the variably developed lateral line which largely represented only by pored scales Astronotus -Astronotus refers to the ocellated spots on the dorsal fin of A. ocellatus, and is composed of the Greek words astron, star, and notos, back. Biotodoma - from Greek: biotos = life, existence and domos = house Bujurquina -Peruvian name for this fish: "Bujurqui" Caquetaia - from Caqueta river Chaetobranchopsis - Chaetobranchus in allusion to the long gillrakers, from the Greek chaetos, thread, and branchia, gill. opsi = appearance. Chaetobranchus - Chaetobranchus in allusion to the long gillrakers, from the Greek chaetos, thread, and branchia, gill. Cichla - kichle, a labrid fish known to the Ancient Greek Cichlasoma - Greek, kichle = wrasse or type of fish + Greek, soma = body Cleithracara - The generic name was inspired by the trivial name given by aquarists to the only contained species, Keyhole cichlid, referring to the characteristic flank marking. It is derived from the Greek kleithron, lock, and the Guarani word for cichlids, acará. Crenicichla - crena, Latin noun meaning notch; and Cichla, name of another cichlid genus, from the Greek kichle, a labrid fish known to the Ancient Greek. The name refers to the serrated preopercle. Dicrossus - from Greek: di = two, krossoi = aspergillum; aspergillum is an instrument, such as a brush or a perforated container, used for sprinkling holy water. Geophagus -eartheater -Greek, gea = the earth + Greek, phagein = to eat Guianacara - Guianacara is composed of the prefix Guiana-, for the Guianas, principal area of distribution, and the suffix -acara, from acará, the Tupi name for cichlids. Gymnogeophagus - Gymnogeophagus, from the Greek word gymnos, naked, and the generic name Geophagus. It should be understood to refer to Geophagus like cichlids with naked (scaleless) cheek and predorsal midline. Heros - from Greek word heros meaning hero or warrior Hoplarchus from Greek: hoplon = weapon, archos = arse Hypselecara from Greek: hypselos = high, and acara = native (Tupi-Guarani) name for Cichlide Krobia - Krobia is a Surinamese vernacular name applied on several cichlid species, including Krobia guianensis. Laetacara from the latijn: laetus = fortunately, and Acara native (Tupi-Guarani) name for Cichlide Mazarunia - Both the generic name, Mazarunia, of feminine gender, and the species name, mazarunii, a genitive in masculine form, are derived from the name of the Mazaruni River to which the monotypic genus appears restricted. Mesonauta - The name Mesonauta was not explained by Günther (1862). It is probably composed of the Greek words mesos, middle or average, and nautes, sailor, alternatively the second word is the Latin nauta, sailor. The gender is masculine. The meaning of the composite is not obvious, but likely the name in some respect refers to the position of the dorsal fin origin posterior to the pelvic fin origin which was Günther's principal diagnostic character. Mikrogeophagus - "little earth eater", from word micros = little, small + gea = the earth + phagein = to eat altispinosa ramirezi Nannacara - means "little acara" ; nano means small, little; acara = Tupi-Guarani name for cichlid Pterophyllum - Pterophyllum, from the Greek pteron, feather, sail, and phyllon, leaf, apparently in reference to the tall, wide, triangular dorsal fin. altum leopoldi scalare Retroculus -Retroculus, from retro, Latin adverb (re and ter), referring to position backwards, back, on the back side, behind; and oculus, Latin noun meaning eye. The name refers to the relatively posterior position of the eye in the head as compared to other cichlids Satanoperca - Satan's perch Symphysodon - symphysis, Greek noun meaning grown together, from sym (syn), together, and physis, meaning growth, body form, appearance; odous, and Ionic odon, Greek noun meaning tooth. The name refers to the few teeth which located over the area where the two jaw halves meet (the symphysis). aequifasciatus discus Taeniacara Acara (native Tupi-Guarani name for Cichlide) with links Tahuantinsuyoa - Tahuantinsuyoa, from Tahuantinsuyo, the Quechua name for the Inca Empire. May be pronounced in English like Tah-wanteen-soo-you-ah. Teleocichla teleo = complete ; kichle, a labrid fish known to the Ancient Greek Uaru - from an indian's name; pronounced as wa-roo amphiacanthoides fernandezyepezi
Part I : Non-mbuna Malawi Cichlids George J. Reclos - http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com:80/aquainfo/fish_names02.html Color Code: Violet=Genera, Green=Latin (non-Greek) part of the Scientific name, Light blue=Greek part of the name, English translation of this part. Dr. Michael K. Oliver, biologist, with a Ph.D. on the taxonomy of African Cichlids of Lake Malawi kindly commented on the initial list, which was sent to him before publishing. I think it will help the reader to see his comments as compared to the initial interpretation of the scientific names. It goes without saying that in all cases, Dr. Oliver's interpretation is the correct one (Italics). The author wishes to thank him once more for his time and kindness. If the Genus name contains Greek words, the translation is shown next to the Genus name. The same translation is not repeated next to species names. Therefore, to get a complete picture the reader should combine the two translations. For example: Aulonocara macrochir the reader must combine the translation of the genus (Aulos=music organ made by pipes + cara=head) with that of the species (Macros=long + chir=hand). Alticorpus Alticorpus macrocleithrum (macro=big; long + cleithrum=key) (Alticorpus) macrocleithrum: long key, yes ;the -cleithrum part refers directly to the large bone of the pectoral girdle that is called the cleithrum; this is the paired bone whose tips protrude downward from the ventral outline of the body in this peculiar species. Aristochromis (Ariston=excellent + chromis=colored) Genera based on -chromis: Although true that chromis means colored, when used in a cichlid name, this probably refers more directly to the fish genus Chromis, a reef fish genus with many, many species in the family Pomacentridae. Early taxonomists who named cichlids were reminded of the genus Chromis by the appearance of the cichlids, and now very many cichlid genera are compounds of -chromis. Aulonocara (Aulos=music organ made by pipes + cara=head) Aulonocara macrochir (Macros=long + chir=hand) Aulonocara trematocephala (trema=hole + cephalic=head) Buccochromis (chromis=colored) Buccochromis atritaeniatus (taeniatus=with a stripe) Buccochromis heterotaenia (hetero=other + taenia=stripe) Buccochromis lepturus (leptos=thin + ura=tail) Buccochromis nototaenia (taenia=stripe) (Buccochromis) nototaenia: the noto- part is from Greek too, notos, the back, the dorsum. This fish has a stripe on its back (like so many Malawi cichlids!). Caprichromis (chromis=colored) Caprichromis orthognathus (ortho=standing; erected + gnathus=jaw) Champsochromis (chromis=colored) Champsochromis: The Champso- is from Greek champsos, crocodile. This is a genus of voracious predators with jaws resembling those of a crocodile. Champsochromis spilorhynchus (spilos=dots + rhynchus=snout) Cheilochromis (Cheilos=lips + chromis=colored) Cheilochromis euchilus (cheilos=lips + chromis=colored + eu=well shaped + chilus=lips) Copadichromis conophoros (conos=cone + phoros=carrying) Copadichromis cyaneus (cyanus=blue) Copadichromis cyclicos (cyclicos=circular) Copadichromis eucinostomus (eucinos=flexible + stomus=mouth) Copadichromis pleurostigma (pleuro=side + stigma=dot) Copadichromis pleurostigmoides (pleuro=side + stigmomides=dot like) Corematodus (odus=tooth) Corematodus: The Coremat- is from Greek korema, korematos, a broom; the taxonomist imagined the teeth to function like a broom. Corematodus taeniatus (taeniatus=with stripe) Ctenopharynx (cteno=comb + pharynx=throat) Cyrtocara (cyrto=rounded + cara=head) Dimidiochromis (chromis=colored) Diplotaxodon (Diplo=double + taxo=class, rank +odon=tooth) Diplotaxodon aeneus (aeneus=eternal) (Diplotaxodon) aeneus: Like most uses of aeneus or aeneo- in fish names, this is intended to mean brassy in color, from Latin aeneus = of brass, of copper. Diplotaxodon apogon (a=without + pogon=chin) Eclectochromis (eclecto=to be chosen, oustanding + chromis=colored) Eclectochromis lobochilus (lobos=lobe + chilus=lips) Exochochromis (exocho=outstanding, excellent + chromis=colored) Exochochromis anagenys (anagenys=born, created again) (Exochochromis) anagenys: Again, anagenys is one of Dr.Oliver's names. He coined the name from Greek ana- (back, again) plus Greek genys (chin, jaw, cheek), intending it to mean with a back(ward) chin, with its chin moved back from the usual place. This distinctive species has a lower jaw whose tip fits behind the upper jaw when the mouth is closed -- very unusual. (Names like this are what happens when you give an American a few books of classical words!) Fossorochromis (chromis=colored) Hemitaeniochromis (hemi=half + taenia=stripe + chromis=colored) Hemitaeniochromis urotaenia (uro=tail + taenia=stripe) Hemitilapia (Hemi=half) Hemitilapia oxyrhynchus (oxy=sharp angle + rhynchus=snout) Lethrinops Lethrinops leptodon (leptos=thin + odon=tooth) Lethrinops macracanthus (macros=long + acanthus=sting) (Lethrinops) macracanthus: a better translation of acanthus here is spine (refers to the long anal-fin spines of this species). Lethrinops macrochir (macros=long + chir=hand) Lethrinops macrophthalmus (macros=long + opthalmus=eye) Lethrinops microdon (micros=small + odon=tooth) Lethrinops microstoma (micro=small + stoma=mouth) Lichnochromis (lichno=oil lamp + chromis=colored) Maravichromis (chromis=colored) Mylochromis (mylos=mill + chromis=colored) Mylochromis ericotaenia (taenia=stripe) Mylochromis labidodon (labido=pincer-shaped + odon=tooth) Mylochromis melanotaenia (melano=black + taenia=stripe) Mylochromis plagiotaenia (plagio=at an angle + taenia=stripe) Mylochromis sphaerodon (sphaera=sphere + odon=tooth) Naevochromis (chromis=colored) Naevochromis chrysogaster (chryso=gold + gaster=belly) Nimbochromis (chromis=colored) Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus (fusco=bubble, ballon + taenia=stripe) (Nimbochromis) fuscotaeniatus: Dr. Oliver thinks the fusco- is from Latin fuscus= dusky, dark, swarthy; a dusky-banded fish. Nimbochromis polystigma (poly=many + stigma=dots) Nyassachromis (chromis=colored) Nyassachromis leuciscus (leuciscus=whitish) Nyassachromis microcephalus (micro=small + cephalus=head) Nyassachromis nigritaeniatus(taeniatus=with stripe) Nyassachromis serenus (serenus=siren) (Nyassachromis) serenus: serenus is pure Latin, =bright, clear. Otopharynx (Oto=Ear + pharynx=throat) Otopharynx argyrosoma (argyro=silver + soma=body) Otopharynx heterodon (hetero=other, different + odon=tooth) Otopharynx lithobates (litho=stone + bates=walker) (Otopharynx) lithobates: another of Dr.Oliver's species names; he meant -bates to mean one who frequents, one who haunts; this is one of the few non-mbuna "haps" that is found on rocky shores. "Stone-walker" is too literal a translation. I think of this one as the haunter of the stones. Otopharynx selenurus (urus=tail) Otopharynx tetraspilus (tetra=four + spilus=dot) Otopharynx tetrastigma (tetra=four + stigma=points, dots) Pallidochromis (chromis=colored) Placidochromis (placido=flat stone + chromis=colored) Placidochromis: Dr.Oliver is sure this genus is from Latin placidus=quiet, still, gentle; not from Greek plax, plakos, a stone tablet. This genus contains "gentle," non-predatory cichlids. Placidochromis electra (electra=amber, electric) Placidochromis macrognathus (macro=long + gnathus=jaw) Placidochromis phenochilus (pheno=obvious, showing + chilus=lips) Platygnathochromis (platy=wide + gnatho=jaw + chromis=colored) Platygnathochromis melanonotus (melano=black, blachish) Protomelas (Proto=first + melas=black) Protomelas kirkii (Kirki=Ancient Greek witch) (Protomelas) kirkii: "ancient Greek witch"would make a wonderful name, but this is simply a patronym Protomelas macrodon (macros=long + odon=tooth) Protomelas pleurotaenia (pleuro=side + taenia=stripe) Protomelas spilopterus (spilos=dot + pterus=wing) Protomelas taeniolatus (taenia=stripe) Protomelas triaenodon (triaena=three point harpoon) Rhamphochromis (Rhamphos=beak + chromis=colored) Rhamphochromis leptosoma (lepto=thin + soma=body) Rhamphochromis macrophthalmus (macro=long + ophthalmus=eye) Sciaenochromis (chromis=colored) Sciaenochromis psammophilus (psammos=sand + philus=friend) Sciaenochromis spilostichus (spilos=dot + stichos=line) Stigmatochromis (stigmato=points, dots + chromis=colored) (Stigmatochromis) pholidophorus: Trewavas almost certainly named this fish because of its resemblance to an extinct fossil fish genus, This, in turn, would have been named from pholis, pholidos=scale, spot, fleck; and -pher, -phor, from phero, bear or carry. Stigmatochromis pholidophorus (pholis=scale + phoreus=carrying) Stigmatochromis pleurospilus (pleuro=side + spilos=dot) Taeniochromis (taenio=stripe + chromis=colored) Taeniochromis holotaenia (holo=whole + taenia=stripe) Taeniolethrinops (taenio=stripe) Taeniolethrinops cyrtonotus (cyrto=rounded) Tramitichromis (chromis=colored) Tramitichromis trilineata (tri=three) Trematocranus (tremato=hole + cranos=helmet) Trematocranus microstoma (micro=small + stoma=mouth) Trematocranus placodon (placo=flat stone + odon=tooth) Tyrannochromis (Tyranno=tyran + chromis=colored) Tyrannochromis macrostoma (macro=long + stoma=mouth) Tyrannochromis polyodon (poly=many + odon=tooth) Part II : Mbuna Malawi Cichlids George J. Reclos - http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com:80/aquainfo/fish_names04.html Cyathochromis (Cyathos=cup + chromis=colored) Cynotilapia (Cyno=dog, dog like) Genyochromis (Genyo=beard) Genyochromis: The meaning is from geneion=chin rather than from geneias=beard. This is a (vaguely) Chromis-like fish with a prominent chin. Gephyrochromis (gephyro=bridge + chromis=colored) Iodotropheus (Iodo=violet + tropheus=feeding) Compounds based on -tropheus (eater). In Lake Malawi, these names allude to the Lake Tanganyika genus Tropheus (which was so named because of obvious feeding specializations in the teeth). Pseudotropheus was intended to mean "a false Tropheus," not "false eater." Iodotropheus: As it happens, Dr. Oliver himself coined this name back in 1972, so he can tell us exactly what he intended by it. This cichlid has two prominent colors, violet and a brownish red, resembling iron rust. The common name in America is "rusty cichlid". He chose to emphasize the violet, using the stem iodes / ioeides, violet-like in color. The Greek ios, rust, probably influenced his choice because the name seemed to reflect both rust as well as violet. Labeotropheus (tropheus=eater) Labeotropheus, is a name which also refers to another genus. Labeotropheus is a Tropheus-like fish which resembles the African cyprinid fish genus Labeo in the form of its mouth. A simple literal translation of the two parts of the name (labeo [Latin], one who has large lips; tropheus=eater) would miss the sense of the name because it misses the reference to another kind of fish. Labidochromis (Labido=pincer + chromis=colored) Labidochromis gigas (gigas=giant) Labidochromis heterodon (hetero=other, different + odon=tooth) Labidochromis mylodon (mylos=mill + odon=tooth) Maylandia (synonym Maylandia) (Metria=modest, average + clisis=slope) Maylandia chrysomallos (chryso=golden + mallos=wool, hair) Maylandia cyneusmarginata (cyneus=dog like) (Maylandia) cyneusmarginatus: Actually, the species name was an error! The authors were thinking of cyan- (blue), not cyneus=doglike. See Dr.Oliver's pageabout this peculiar mistake. The authors explicitly stated "The name cyneusmarginatus, from the Greek, meaning blue margin to note the blue marginal band in the dorsal fin." They misspelled the name like this many times in their paper! Maylandia heteropicta (hetero=other, different) Maylandia melabranchion (mela=black + branchion=gill) Maylandia phaeos (phaeos=ash or gray colored) Maylandia pyrsonotos (pyrsos=torch) Melanochromis (Melano=black + chromis=colored) Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (cyanos=blue + rhabdos=bar, stick) Melanochromis dialeptos (dialeptos=not continous) Melanochromis elastodema (elasto=elastic + dema=body, package) Melanochromis heterochromis (hetero=other, different + chromis=colored) Melanochromis labrosus (labros=shining, bright) (Melanochromis) labrosus: No, this fish has enlarged, fleshy lips; the species name is from Latin labrum, lip; labrosus, having prominent lips. Melanochromis lepidiadaptes (lepidi=cutting edge) (Melanochromis) lepidiadaptes: This is from lepidion (diminutive of scale) and daptes=eater. This cichlid bites the scales off other cichlids. Melanochromis melanopterus (melanos=black + pteron=wing, fin) Melanochromis parallelus (parallelos=parallel) Melanochromis perileucos (peri=around + leucos=white) Melanochromis xanthodigma (xantho=blond + digma=sample) (Melanochromis) xanthodigma: A better translation of -digma (deigma, deigmatos) here is "pattern" in the sense of the fish's color pattern. This fish is patterned with yellow. Petrotilapia (Petra=stone) Petrotilapia chrysos (chrysos=golden) Pseudotropheus (Pseudo=fake, not true + tropheus=eater) Pseudotropheus heteropictus (hetero=other, different) (Pseudotropheus) heteropictus: Pseudotropheus) heteropictus:yes, hetero=other; + Latin pictus=painted, colored. (Note the bastard Greek+Latin name; as Dr. Oliver says, today's taxonomists are not well-versed in classical languages!) This species is differently colored than related species. Pseudotropheus (Tropheops) macrophthalmus (macros=long + ophthalmus=eye) Pseudotropheus (Tropheops) microstoma (micro=small + stoma=mouth)
