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Issue: Vol. 2690 No. 1: 29 Nov. 2010
Type: Articles
Published: 2010-11-29
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2690.1.4
Page range: 43–52
Abstract views: 58
PDF downloaded: 2

A new species of Danakilia (Teleostei, Cichlidae) from Lake Abaeded in the Danakil Depression of Eritrea (East Africa)

Division of Vertebrate Zoology, Department of Ichthyology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024
Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano, Corso Venezia 55, 20121 Milano, Italy
Universität Wien, Fakultät für Lebenswissenschaften, Department für Evolutionsbiologie, Althanstrasse 14, A - 1090 Wien, Austria
Fish Eritrea East Africa Danakilia Cichlidae

Abstract

A new species of cichlid fish is described from a small, endorheic lake (Lake Abaeded), situated some 30 m below sea level in the Danakil Depression of Eritrea (East Africa). Danakilia dinicolai is readily distinguished from its congener, D. franchettii, on the basis of body proportions and in the possession of markedly longer pectoral fins at all sizes. Additionally, oral dentition is more robust than that of its congener, and the lower pharyngeal jaw is markedly hypertrophied and covered with considerably finer and more densely implanted teeth on the posterior field of the jaw.

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