Author(s): TAWIL, 2003

Described as: Aulonocara koningsi
 

Title: Aulonocara koningsi n. sp., un cichlidé nouveau du Lac Malawi apparenté à Aulonocara stuartgranti (Pisces: Teleostei: Cichlidae).

Type locality: Mbenji Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi.

Distribution:  All around Mbenji Island

Synonymised with: none

Closest relative(s): Aulonocara stuartgranti

Diagnosis: Can be distinguished from its closest relative, Aulonocara stuartgranti from Chilumba,  by the coloration of the males, especially the regression of the spots on the anal fin, and by the morphology and the melanin pattern of the immature males and the females. In the dominant males of A. koningsi only six to eight vertical bars are visible (versus nine or ten in A. stuartgranti), while on the flanks two or three blotches can be seen of which one is situated on the caudal peduncle (versus no blotches in A. stuartgranti).

Description: The main color of adult males is royal blue. That is especially true for the head, the dorsal and anal fin and the foremost part of the body. The caudal fin has several yellow stripes on a blue background. The lower part of the body, especially the caudal part, has the same coloration as the caudal fin. The dorsal fin has a white marginal and a black submarginal band. The anal fin is blue the anal spots are absent or severely regressed. The melanin pattern of dominant males consists of six to eight black vertical bars. The number of these bars is variable because sometimes they unite or they form a “V”. The general body coloration of the females is brownish and they have a melanin pattern that consists of six to eight vertical bars. Their unpaired fins are brownish to beige.

Etymology:  Named after Ad Konings whose abundantly illustrated books on the cichlid fishes in general and those of Lake Malawi in particular have considerably contributed to our knowledge of these fishes.

Remarks: In the books of Ad Konings (Malawi Cichlids in their Natural Habitat 1995 and 2001) this species is called Aulonocara sp. “stuartgranti mbenji”. 

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