Cichlid

Diagnosis: The lack of a black submarginal band in the dorsal fin, a yellow ventral half of the head, breast, and dorsal fin, and the light-brown coloured females that have yellow fin-margins distinguish Maylandia aurora from most members of the genus, except M. hajomaylandi, M. chrysomallos, and M. xanthos; it differs from M. hajomaylandi and M. chrysomallos by fewer, faint, vertical bars below the dorsal fin, 6 vs. 7-9; and from M. xanthos by a shorter lower jaw, 28.4-33.5% of head length vs. 34.6-36.7% (Ref. 86409).Colouration: Lateral body colouration blue dorsally in males from likoma Island, Mara Point North, and N'kolongwe, but brown dorsally in males from Mbweca and Tumbi Point, with anterior portion of scales sky-blue and 6 faint blue bars below dorsal fin; caudal peduncle dark blue; yellow belly and breast fading to light blue towards anal fin; head sky-blue with preorbital, ventral half of cheek, operculum and preoperculum yellow; dark yellow/green opercular spot; gular yellow; dorsal fin yellow with submarginal sky-blue band and sky-blue blotches throughout; caudal-fin rays yellow with light-blue membranes; anal fin pale blue to pale yellow with one ocellus; pelvic fin with light-blue leading edge, remaining yellow; pectoral-fin rays pale yellow and membranes clear (Ref. 86409). Female lateral ground colouration pale blue with center of scales orange/brown; belly white; head brown; cheek and operculum with purple highlights; gray/black opercular spot; white gular; dorsal fin brown with brown lappets; caudal-fin rays brown with clear membranes; anal fin gray proximally and brown distally with single small orange/brown ocellus; pelvic finwith white leading edge; first two rays and membranes brown, remainder clear; pectoral fin clear (Ref. 86409).

White spot Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Bacterial Infections (general). Bacterial diseases

Produces 40-70 eggs.

Dorsal spines (total): 17 - 19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 10; Anal spines: 3 - 4; Analsoft rays: 7 - 8

Occurs in intermediate zones, common in rock-sand interface. Occasionally seen in purely rocky habitats close to sand. Male territoriality usually over upper surfaces of medium-sized and large rocks, small proportion of males may occupy less prominent sites and some defend areas at the base of rocks where they dig sand-scraped nests. Females, juveniles and non-territorial adult males may occur singly or form small groups (to 30 fish). Feeding aggregations with Cynotilapia afra and P. zebra in water column above rocks where they feed on plankton. Normally feeds from rock-sand substrata.

Found in the intermediate zones of Lake Malawi, being particularly common along the rock-sand interface; occasionally it occurs in purely rocky habitats which are close to sand; most numerous between 2 and 5 m depth (Ref. 6256). Territories are held by males, usually over the upper surfaces of medium-sized and large rocks, but a small proportion of males occupy less prominent sites and some defend areas at the base of rocks where they dig sand-scrape nests; females, juveniles and non-territorial adult males occur singly or in groups of up to 30 individuals (Ref. 6256).

fisheries: ; aquarium: commercial

Maylandia aurora is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is only known from the southern half of Likoma Island where it prefers habitats with rocky substrates close to sand. Males of this species can reach a length of 8.7 centimetres (3.4 in) SL while females reach 8 centimetres (3.1 in) SL. It is also found in the aquarium trade.