Steatocranus

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Genus of fishes

title: "Steatocranus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["steatocranus", "pseudocrenilabrinae", "fishkeeping", "cichlid-genera", "taxa-named-by-george-albert-boulenger"] description: "Genus of fishes" topic_path: "general/steatocranus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steatocranus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of fishes ::

| image = Tinanti1.jpg | image_caption =S. tinanti | taxon = Steatocranus | display_parents = 3 | parent_authority = Dunz & Schliewen, 2013 | authority = Boulenger, 1899 | type_species = Steatocranus gibbiceps | type_species_authority = Boulenger, 1899

Steatocranus is a genus of small rheophilic cichlids mostly native to the Congo River Basin in DR Congo/Congo Brazzaville, although one species, S. irvinei, is restricted to the Volta River in Ghana and Burkino Faso, and it belongs in a separate genus. There are also at least 10 undescribed species in the Congo River basin awaiting scientific description.

The fish in this genus all have relatively reduced swim bladder function. The name Steatocranus refers to the fatty deposit on the forehead of most species.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Steatocranus_casuarius_young.JPG" caption="Young female ''Steatocranus casuarius''"] ::

Two species, S. casuarius (also known as the lionhead or buffalohead cichlid) and S. tinanti are relatively common in the aquarium trade.

As for other cichlids brood care is highly developed and both sexes are involved in raising the young. All Steatocranus species are secretive cave spawners and form monogamous pairs for breeding. The female is more actively involved in fry raising, while the male is primarily concerned with territorial defence.

Species

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Bleheri.jpg" caption="Young male ''Steatocranus bleheri''"] ::

There are currently eight recognized species in this genus, but S. irvinei belongs elsewhere;

References

References

  1. {{FishBase genus. (2024)
  2. Dunz, A.R.. (2013). "Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as "Tilapia"". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
  3. (2011). "Time and Origin of Cichlid Colonization of the Lower Congo Rapids". PLOS ONE.
  4. (2011). "Speciation within genomic networks: a case study based on ''Steatocranus'' cichlids of the lower Congo rapids". Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
  5. (2022). "''Steatocranus masalamasoso'', a new species of lionhead cichlid from the Léfini River basin, Congo basin, Africa (Teleostei: Cichlidae)". Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
  6. (2019). "''Paragobiocichla'', a new genus name for ''Gobiochromis irvinei'' Trewavas, 1943 (Teleostei, Cichlidae)". Spixiana.

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steatocranuspseudocrenilabrinaefishkeepingcichlid-generataxa-named-by-george-albert-boulenger