New Species of Rock-Dwelling Cichlid (Pisces: Cichlidae) from Lake Malaŵi, Africa, with Comments on Melanochromis vermivorus Trewavas

Morphometric and meristic values were obtained from six populations of Lake Malaŵi fishes purported to belong to the species Melanochromis vermivorus Trewavas and compared with data from type material of M. vermivorus. Multivariate statistical analysis of the data revealed differences between the type material and the sampled populations with respect to shape and meristic counts. A previously recognized, but undescribed, species, Melanochromis sp. "chinyamwezi" (endemic to Chinyamwezi Island), is shown to be conspecific with the supposed M. vermivorus populations. We describe a new species of Melanochromis based on the above material.