[[ Chromidotilapia melaniae ^ZBK ]]

Chromidotilapia melaniae ^ZBK also has a relatively low number of gill rakers on the lower limb of the first branchial arch (8-10), but the coloration patterns of this species resembles that of C. mamonekenei ^ZBK and C. kingsleyae ^ZBK - when stressed, patterns of dark blotches and short horizontal lines are visible on the sides in all three species. In breeding behaviour C. melaniae ^ZBK is similar to C. mamonekenei ^ZBK in both being ovophilic and pair bonding, biparental mouthbrooders. In contrast, C. kingsleyae ^ZBK is a polygamous female mouthbrooder (Lamboj, 1998a, b). Breeding behaviour in C. melaniae ^ZBK and C. mamonekenei ^ZBK seems to be somewhat more basic than in C. kingsleyae ^ZBK, which, following current views on the evolution of breeding behaviour in cichlids (e.g. Keenleyside, 1991), has a more derivied breeding behaviour. Sexual size dimorphism is also more distinct in C. kingsleyae ^ZBK. Nevertheless, despite this differences, similar pigmentation patterns observed for these three species may suggest a close relationship.