Copadichromis melas Stauffer & Konings 2006

Diagnosis: 3 lateral spots on body; supra-pectoral spot about same size as supra-anal spot; 3 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and opercle; no black submarginal band in dorsal fin; breeding males entirely black with black anal fin without colored margin, spots, or streaksDescription: dorsal snout profile straight in females and immatures and with a slight concavity in adult males; gape inclination of mouth about 40° to horizontal; jaws isognathous; teeth on dentary and premaxilla in 3 rows, outer row teeth with small bicuspid teeth in juveniles and females, large unicuspid teeth in mature males; gill-rakers short; 1-3 pored scales posterior to lateral line; 2-3 scale rows on cheek; 3 teeth rows in upper and lower jaw (Ref. 57549). Coloration: breeding males: interorbital portion of head black; preorbital, cheek, opercle, and preopercle gray with green highlights; black opercle spot and throat; lateral portion of body, dark blue with orange posterior outline of scales and 7 black bars; 3 lateral spots on body of captured specimens not visible underwater; gray belly; dorsal, caudal and anal fins black; pectoral fin with gray rays and clear membranes; pelvic fin black anteriorly fading to gray posteriorly (Ref. 57549). Females: head brown/gray; cheek white with green highlights; opercle white with blue highlights; throat white; lateral portion of body, gray dorsally fading to white ventrally with blue and purple highlights; 3 black lateral spots; supra-pectoral spot below 1O-13th scale separate from upper lateral line and about same size as supra-anal spot; supra-anal spot at 23-24th scale above and in contact with lower lateral line and covering 3-4 scales; caudal spot on caudal base; 3 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and dorsal-fin origin; dorsal fin clear with faint orange/brown spots and pale yellow lappets; caudal fin light gray; anal fin clear with orange/brown tints; pectoral and pelvic fins clear (Ref. 57549).

Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Inhabits the sand/rock interface along the lake shore; territorial males build their bowers at depths of 10-15m; females commonly occur solitarily or in small groups of 3-4 individuals; both males and females feed on plankton near the bottom and on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 57549).