Labidochromis caeruleus Fryer, 1956

Çiçek, Erdoğan, Fricke, Ronald, Sungur, Sevil, Çapar, Osman Bahadir & Golani, Daniel, 2023, Freshwater fishes of Israel; a revised and updated annotated checklist- 2023, Zootaxa 5369 (4), pp. 451-484 : 466

Labidochromis caeruleus Fryer, 1956 [I]—Blue streak hap; None

Taxonomy. Original description: Labidochromis caeruleus Fryer, 1956: 88 , figs. 8-9 [Nkata Bay, Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa), southeastern Africa; holotype: BMNH 1956.9.4.9].— Israel synonyms: None.—Revisions: None. Illustration: Fryer (1956: figs. 8-9).

Status in Israel. First record from Israel by Golani et al. (2022).—Israel material: HUJ.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel: Nahal Amal.—Distribution in River Basin: 2-Dead Sea Basin.— General distribution: Eastern Africa: Lake Malawi.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 438- Jordan River.—Habitat: This species is a rock dwelling cichlid occurring at the greatest depth of all other species in the genus (average depth occurrence of 25 m). It is rarely found in waters less than 10 m. It feeds on invertebrates, small crustaceans as well as small snails. Freshwater.

Economic importance. Valuable for the aquarium trade.

Reasons of introduction. Ornamental fish industry.

Conservation. Not relevant (introduced species).

Remarks. Several specimens were collected in Nahal Amal. A previous report of Labeotropheus fuelleborni Ahl, 1926 by Bartley et al. (2006) refers Labidochromis caeruleus . This species hybridizes with other cichlids in Nahal Amal ( Golani et al. 2022).