Haplochromis flaviijosephi (Lortet, 1883)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 785-786

Haplochromis flaviijosephi

Common name. Jordan mouthbrooder.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cichlidae in

West Asia by: ● scales ctenoid / ● yellow or orange ocelli on

anal in adults / ○ chest, belly, and isthmus in front of pelvic

covered by small scales / ○ 3 anal spines / ○ flank with a

short stripe between opercle and about middle of spined

part of dorsal, continued as 1–2 blotches on lateral midline

behind spined part of dorsal / ○ bold bar between eye and

corner of mouth / ○ flank with indistinctive dark-grey or

brown bars. Size up to 100 mm SL.

Distribution. Jordan drainage, where it occurs in Lake

Muzayrib ( Syria) and Lake Kinneret ( Israel) basins, in Ajami

and Al Asha’ari springs (southern Syria), and in vicinity of Remarks. Haplochromis flaviijosephi does not appear to Lake Kinneret and the Baisan Valley ( Israel). be closely related to any African Haplochromis species. Habitat. Shallow shores of lakes, springs, and streams There must have been a recent biogeographic window that where it occurs among rocks and vegetation. allowed C. zillii , O. aureus , and S. galilaeus to invade the Biology. Maternal mouthbrooders without permanent Jordan from the Nile. However, both H.flaviijosephi and pair-bonding. Spawns several times between April and Tristramella must have existed in Levant before the biogeo- July. Nuptial males occupy a territory with a shallow nest in graphic connection to the Nile, and a much earlier invasion center. Female spawn with territorial males. After fertilisa- from the Nile could be proposed. Alternatively, Tristramella tion in nest, female takes eggs in mouth. In Lake Kinneret, and H. flaviijosephi may be relics of a once widespread females feed mainly on chironomid larvae, oligochaetes, range of cichlids on the Arabian Peninsula and may have and amphipods, while males feed primarily on snails. invaded the Jordan from Saudi Arabia.

Conservation status. VU; appears to be relatively secure in Further reading. Goren 1974 (distribution); Werner 1976 Lake Kinneret but declining in its small range outside the lake. (reproduction); Spataru & Gophen 1985a (food).

Iranocichla hormuzensis ; Mehran drainage, Iran; mouth-brooding female, ~ 70 mm SL. A. Lamboj.