Morphological Investigation of Larval Development in Maylandia estherae (Konings, 1995), an Endemic Cichlid Species of Lake Malawi
Keywords:
Maylandia estherae, Cichlidae, Lake Malawi, Larval development, MorphologyAbstract
This study investigates the morphological aspects of larval development in Maylandia estherae, an endemic cichlid species from Lake Malawi. Larvae obtained from mature broodstock were sampled daily from hatching until the juvenile stage, and their morphological development was observed under a microscope. Important morphological features such as mouth opening, exogenous feeding, free swimming, yolk sac, and pigmentation were observed and photographed. The findings indicate that M. estherae larvae reached the juvenile stage within approximately 20-25 days. Throughout larval development, it was determined that total length and mouth gape gradually increased, the yolk sac was depleted within 12-13 days, and exogenous feeding commenced alongside the development of free-swimming ability. Additionally, significant changes in fin differentiation and pigmentation were observed in the larvae. The larval development duration and morphological characteristics of M. estherae were found to be similar to those of other Malawi cichlid species. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the ontogenetic processes of M. estherae and have implications for aquaculture practices. Furthermore, the results provide a significant contribution to the literature on the larval development of Malawi cichlids and offer insights for future research.
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