Neolamprologus
Neolamprologus is a genus of cichlids endemic to eastern Africa with all species occurring in Lake Tanganyika. It is the largest genus of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika and also the largest genus in the tribe Lamprologini, which includes Altolamprologus, Chalinochromis, Julidochromis, Lamprologus, Lepidiolamprologus, Telmatochromis and Variabilichromis. The latter is a monotypic genus doubtfully distinct from Neolamprologus.
It is already known for some time that according to mtDNA sequence analysis, this genus is very probably polyphyletic. It is likely that it will be revised eventually; if Variabilichromis is split off, at least some of the more ancient lineages currently placed in Neolamprologus are probably worthy of separation also. However, the morphological similarity and numerous undescribed species do not make analyses easier, and as with many cichlids, recent speciation and abundant hybridization seriously confound molecular studies to the point where single-gene studies or those using only mtDNA or nDNA are essentially worthless for resolving Lamprologini phylogeny.
While lineages are clearly different in their morphology, habits and ecology, gene flow between genera and species is common enough due to extremely low postzygotic isolation. Males of Neolamprologus apparently have always readily and successfully mated with females of other Lamprologini they found ready to spawn: mtDNA lineages similar to other Lamprologini genera are widely encountered in species placed in Neolamprologus. And not only do such hybrids seem to be fertile at least to a limited extent in many cases, new species often appear to originate from such interbreeding.
Species
There are currently 52 recognized species in this genus:Neolamprologus bifasciatus Büscher, 1993Neolamprologus brevis Boulenger, 1899Neolamprologus brichardi Poll, 1974Neolamprologus buescheri Staeck, 1983Neolamprologus callipterus Neolamprologus calliurus Neolamprologus cancellatus Aibara, T. Takahashi & Nakaya, 2005Neolamprologus caudopunctatus Poll, 1978Neolamprologus christyi Trewavas & Poll, 1952Neolamprologus cunningtoni Neolamprologus cylindricus Staeck & Seegers, 1986Neolamprologus falcicula Neolamprologus finalimus Neolamprologus furcifer Boulenger, 1898Neolamprologus gracilis Neolamprologus kungweensis Neolamprologus laparogramma Neolamprologus leleupi Poll, 1956Neolamprologus leloupi Poll, 1948Neolamprologus lemairii Neolamprologus longicaudatus Nakaya & Gashagaza, 1995Neolamprologus longior Staeck, 1980Neolamprologus marunguensis Büscher, 1989Neolamprologus modestus Boulenger, 1898Neolamprologus mondabu Boulenger, 1906Neolamprologus multifasciatus Boulenger, 1906Neolamprologus mustax Poll, 1978Neolamprologus niger Poll, 1956Neolamprologus nigriventris Büscher, 1992Neolamprologus obscurus Poll, 1978Neolamprologus ocellatus Neolamprologus ornatipinnis Neolamprologus pectoralis Büscher, 1991Neolamprologus petricola Poll, 1949Neolamprologus prochilus R. M. Bailey & D. J. Stewart, 1977Neolamprologus pulcher Trewavas & Poll, 1952Neolamprologus savoryi Poll, 1949Neolamprologus schreyeni Poll, 1974Neolamprologus sexfasciatus Trewavas & Poll, 1952Neolamprologus signatus Neolamprologus similis Büscher, 1992Neolamprologus speciosus Neolamprologus splendens Neolamprologus stappersi Neolamprologus tetracanthus Boulenger, 1899 Neolamprologus timidus S. O. Kullander, Norén, Mi. Karlsson & Ma. Karlsson, 2014 Neolamprologus toae Poll, 1949Neolamprologus tretocephalus Boulenger, 1899Neolamprologus variostigma Büscher, 1995Neolamprologus ventralis Büscher, 1995Neolamprologus walteri Verburg & I. R. Bills, 2007Neolamprologus wauthioni Poll, 1949;SynonymsNeolamprologus crassus ; valid as N. pulcherNeolamprologus helianthus Büscher, 1997; valid as N. splendensNeolamprologus olivaceous ; valid as ''N. pulcher''