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Dorsal spines (total): 17-19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Diagnosis: The presence of bicuspid teeth in the anterior portion of the outer row on both the upper and lower jaws and a moderately sloped ethmo-vomerine block with a swollen rostral tip place this species in Maylandia (Ref. 93436). The presence of a dark submarginal band in the dorsal fin in combination with distinct black lateral bars on a blue ground colour in the male distinguish Maylandia lundoense from all other members of the genus except from M. phaeos and M. cyneusmarginatus and some populations of M. flavifemina, M. fainzilberi and M. zebra (Ref. 93436). Males of M. phaeos, M. flavifemina, M. cyneusmarginatus and M. zebra that have a black band in the dorsal fin, all have lateral bars which extend onto the dorsal fin, a trait not found in M. lundoense (Ref. 93436). Male Maylandia lundoense are distinguished from those of M. fainzilberi by a black band in the anal fin which is absent in the latter species (Ref. 93436). Female Maylandia lundoense are distinguished from all other female Maylandia, except from those of M. nigrodorsalis, by the presence of a black submarginal band in the dorsal fin; female M. lundoense cannot reliably be differentiated from those of nigrodorsalis (Ref. 93436).
Description: Moderate elongate species with greatest body depth at about base of eighth dorsal spine (Ref. 93436). Dorsal body profile with gradual curve to caudal peduncle with highest point at about eighth dorsal-fin spine; ventral body profile between pelvic and anal fin flat to slightly convex with upward curve to caudal fin; dorsal head profile straight to slightly concave between snout tip and interorbital, making about 50-60° angle with body axis, then rounding to dorsal fin origin (Ref. 93436). Eye about one and a half times depth of preorbital; snout in ¾ of anterior half of head with posterior orbit margin posterior of vertical median of head; snout short with isognathous to slightly retrognathous jaws; teeth on lower jaw in 3 or 4 rows with outer row bicuspid and inner rows tricuspid (Ref. 93436). Dorsal fin with 17-19 spines and 8-10 rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 7-8 rays; first 3 or 4 dorsal spines gradually longer posteriorly with first spine about half the length of fourth spine; last 14 spines slightly longer posteriorly with last spine longest; dorsal-fin rays with subacuminate tip, third or fourth ray longest, about to middle of caudal fin in males and to base of caudal fin in females; anal-fin spines progressively longer posteriorly; fourth or fifth ray longest, length to almost middle caudal fin in some males, to about base of caudal in females; caudal fin subtruncate to emarginate; pelvic fin not to anal fin in females, length in males to third anal-fin spine; pectoral fin rounded, paddle-shaped, short, to vertical through base of 11th or 12th dorsal spine (Ref. 93436). Flank scales large, ctenoid; abrupt difference to small scales on breast and belly; cheek with 4-6 rows of small scales; dorsal-fin and anal-fin rays with narrow proximal margin of tiny scales; tiny scales over proximal 75-90% of caudal fin (Ref. 93436).
Colouration: Males with blue flank and 7-10 narrow, black bars; breast and belly blue; caudal peduncle blue; head dark blue/purple with blue/green highlights; dark blue opercle spot; 2 light-blue interorbital bars; blue throat (Ref. 93436). Dorsal fin proximally blue with black submarginal band, sometimes over most of fin, white lappets, and with small yellow spots in rayed part; caudal fin with light-blue/gray rays and orange tips, blue membranes; anal fin black with narrow blue proximal margin and white lappets; 2 or 3 yellow ocelli; pectoral fin clear; pelvic fin with white/blue leading edge, anterior dark brown/black, posterior light brown/gray (Ref. 93436). Females with light-brown ground colouration and blue and green highlights; occasionally with faint brown bars; belly and breast white/gray; head light brown with green highlights; gray/black opercle spot; interorbital green/brown; throat white (Ref. 93436). Dorsal fin proximally light brown, narrow black submarginal band; white lappets with orange tips; caudal and anal fins gray/brown; pectoral fin clear; anal and pelvic fins with first few membranes black and remainder clear; occasionally with white leading edge (Ref. 93436). |