Bathybates


Bathybates is a genus of piscivorous cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. The genus includes both pelagic species that mainly feed on Tanganyika sardines and benthic species that mainly feed on other cichlids. They are some of the deepest-living cichlids, regularly occurring down to.
They are elongated in shape with a silvery color and a dark spotted or striped pattern. Depending on the species involved, they reach lengths of up to.
Although not closely related, they have sometimes been compared to piscivorous Rhamphochromis cichlids of Lake Malawi.

Species

There are currently seven recognized species in this genus:Bathybates fasciatus Boulenger, 1901 Bathybates ferox Boulenger, 1898 Bathybates graueri Steindachner, 1911 Bathybates hornii Steindachner, 1911 Bathybates leo Poll, 1956 Bathybates minor Boulenger, 1906 Bathybates vittatus Boulenger, 1914