| Damba mipentina | |
|---|---|
| At London Zoo | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Etroplinae |
| Genus: | Paretroplus |
| Species: | P. maculatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Paretroplus maculatus Kiener & Maugé, 1966 |
|
The damba mipentina (Paretroplus maculatus) is a critically endangered species of cichlid fish from turbid, shallow flood-plain lakes in the Betsiboka and Ikopa River basins in northwestern Madagascar.[2] It has declined drastically because of habitat loss, overfishing and invasive species.[1][2] It is part of a captive breeding program by public institutions like London Zoo and among fishkeeping hobbyists.[3]
This relatively deep-bodied Paretroplus can easily be separate from other members of the genus by the large black spot on the side of the body.[2] It reaches 30 centimetres (12 in) in length.[4]