Two new cichlid species of the genus <i>Labrochromis</i> from rocky reefs of Lake Victoria, Tanzania (Perciformes, Cichlidae).

Abstract

Lake Victoria is home to a unique and taxonomically understudied species flock of endemic haplochromine cichlid fishes, with many morphologically specialized trophic groups and many different species in each of them. One of several mollusk-eating trophic groups are the pharyngeal snail-crushers of the genus <i>Labrochromis</i> Regan, 1920. Currently, six species from Lake Victoria have been described in this genus, none of which occupies rocky shores and reefs. Rocky shores and reefs of Lake Victoria, however harbor rich assemblages of habitat-specialized cichlids and these include snail-crushers. Here two new species of <i>Labrochromis</i> are described from this habitat in the Southeastern part of Lake Victoria. These species are distinct in their ecology, morphology, and male nuptial coloration from all previously described <i>Labrochromis</i> species, and they are distinct from each other in oral dentition, morphology, and stripe pattern. These species are named <i>Labrochromismawe</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> and <i>Labrochromismawepili</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> Both are currently only known from the Mwanza and Speke Gulf regions of the lake in Tanzania.