Description

Dorsal spines (total): 21 - 23; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5 - 7; Anal spines: 6 - 8; Anal soft rays: 5 - 7. Diagnosis: Julidochromis marksmithi is a typical Julidochromis that differs mainly in its colouration and pattern from the other species of the genus: it is bright yellow and decorated by two major horizontal dark brown to blackish bands on the body with a third stripe extending from the nape only about halfway along the back at the dorsal fin base; an additional dark somewhat irregular stripe (cheek stripe) runs from the corner of the mouth across the cheek as far as the pectoral fin base , but the posterior segments beyond the preopercle are often faded or lacking; this stripe is lacking in the ornatus-transcriptus-dickfeldi group; a broad dark band, bordered by a narrow blackish edge and a submarginal light blue stripe, extends along the upper part of the dorsal fin to its angle where it may spread throughout the soft portion of the fin (Ref. 115482). It differs from the larger J. regani and J. marlieri by lacking the lower body band of those species, and all their forms; Julidochromis ornatus has a blackish band, often quite broad, running along the entire base of the dorsal fin with the remainder of the fin yellow, no black band is present along the upper part of the fin; Julidochromis dickfeldi also lacks the cheek stripe as well as the band in the dorsal fin; it is white below the central body band as opposed to the yellow in J. marksmithi; Julidochromis marlieri and J. transcriptus have vertical bars, which are absent in J. marksmithi (Ref. 115482).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Julidochromis

Species: Julidochromis marksmithi Burgess, 2014

Climate Zone

Biology

It is found in a rocky habitat but where there are sandy areas close by (Ref. 115482).

Habitat

pelagic

Conservation Status

Not Evaluated

Threat to Humans

Harmless