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| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
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Common Name: golden mbuna
Synonyms and Other Names: olden cichlid, golden pseudotropheus, Nyassa golden cichlid
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: Another commonly used name is Pseudotropheus auratus (see discussion by Ribbink et al. 1983). According to Eccles and Trewavas (1989), the genera Melanochromis and Pseudotropheus are in particular need of revision and critical appraisal. Based on Trewavas (1983b), Bowers and Stauffer (1993) listed the defining characteristics of the genus Melanochromis. Distinguishing characteristics of M. auratus (mainly color patterns) were provided by Ribbink et al. (1983). Dentition and color patterns associated with this species were described by Fryer and Iles (1972); discussion and photographs of different color patterns were also provided by Lewis et al. (1986). Additional color photographs or illustrations of fish were given by Goldstein (1970), Ribbink et al. (1983), Axelrod et al. (1985), Petrovicky (1988), and Axelrod (1993). Males are predominantly blue and black; females are gold and black (Ribbink et al. (1983).
Size: 11 cm (Petrovicky 1988).
Native Range:
Tropical Africa. Lake Malawi (Lewis et al. 1986).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: This species is listed as reported but not established in Rogers Spring near Lake Mead, Clark County, Nevada (Courtenay et al. 1984, 1986; also see Deacon and Williams 1984; Courtenay and Stauffer 1990; Courtenay et al. 1991). This species apparently was found first when three specimens were seen (one collected) in Rogers Spring on 1 August 1983 (Courtenay, personal communication).
Means of Introduction: Probable aquarium release.
Status: Reported from Nevada.
Impact of Introduction: Probable aquarium release.
Remarks: The species is common in the aquarium trade. Females and breeding or
territorial males have very different color patterns (Ribbink et al.
1983; Lewis et al. 1986).
There are no known voucher specimens.
Axelrod, H. R. 1993. The most complete colored lexicon of cichlids. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.
Axelrod, H. R., W. E. Burgess, N. Pronek, and J. G. Walls. 1985. Dr. Axelrod's atlas of freshwater aquarium fishes. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.
Bowers, N. J., and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1993. New species of rock-dwelling cichlid (Pisces: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi, Africa, with comments on Melanochromis vermivorus Trewavas. Copeia 1993(3):715-722.
Courtenay, W. - Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., and J. R. Stauffer, Jr.. 1990. The introduced fish problem and the aquarium fish industry. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 21(3):145-159.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., D. P. Jennings, and J. D. Williams. 1991. Appendix 2: exotic fishes. Pages 97-107 in Robins, C. R., R. M. Bailey, C. E. Bond, J. R. Brooker, E. A. Lachner, R. N. Lea, and W. B. Scott. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada, 5th edition. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 20. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., D. A. Hensley, J. N. Taylor, and J. A. McCann. 1984. Distribution of exotic fishes in the continental United States. Pages 41-77 in W. R. Courtenay, Jr., and J. R. Stauffer, Jr., editors. Distribution, biology and management of exotic fishes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., D. A. Hensley, J. N. Taylor, and J. A. McCann. 1986. Distribution of exotic fishes in North America. Pages 675-698 in C. H. Hocutt, and E. O. Wiley, editors. The zoogeography of North American freshwater fishes. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.
Deacon, J. E., and J. E. Williams. 1984. Annotated list of the fishes of Nevada. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 97(1):103-118.
Eccles, D. H., and E. Trewavas. 1989. Malawian cichlid fishes: the classification of some haplochromine genera. Lake Fish Movies, Herten, Germany.
Fryer, G., and T. D. Iles. 1972. The cichlid fishes of the Great Lakes of Africa. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, England.
Goldstein, R. J. 1970. Cichlids. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.
Lewis, D., P. Reinthal, and J. Trendall. 1986. A guide to the fishes of Lake Malawi National Park. World Wildlife Fund, Gland, Switzerland. 71 pp.
Petrovicky, I. 1988. Aquarium fish of the world. Hamlyn, London, England.
Ribbink, A. J., B. A. Marsh, A. C. Marsh, A. C. Ribbink, and B. J. Sharp. 1983. A preliminary survey of the cichlid fishes of rocky habitats in Lake Malawi. South African Journal of Zoology (Zoology Dierkunde) 18(3):149-310.
Trewavas, E. 1983b. Nouvel examen des genres et sous-genres du complexe Pseudotropheus-Melanochromis du lac Malawi (Pisces, Perciformes, Cichlidae). Revue Francaise d'Aquariologie 10:97-106.
Other Resources:
Species Summary for Melanochromis auratus golden mbuna (FishBase)
FishBase Fact Sheet
Author: Leo Nico
Revision Date: 6/7/1999 Citation for this information:
Leo Nico. 2009. Melanochromis auratus. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=460> Revision Date: 6/7/1999
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