900 species found nowhere else

Of the approximately 900 cichlid species in Lake Malawi, all evolved from a common ancestor. Shown here (pictured in an aquarium): a male <i>Cynotilapia afra</i>

Of the approximately 900 cichlid species in Lake Malawi, all evolved from a common ancestor. Shown here (pictured in an aquarium): a male Cynotilapia afra
© WWF-Canon / Helena TELKÄNRANTA

Cichlids, or the family Cichlidae, are a group of fish species found primarily in Africa and in Latin America. In Africa, they are characteristic of the lakes of the Great Rift Valley, like Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, as well as Lake Malawi.

An exception in the animal kingdom
The cichlid family is an exceptional one in the animal kingdom. The number of species in this family is greater than in any other family of fish (or any family of mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians for that matter). Ken McKaye explains that when he first came to Malawi in 1977, about 100 cichlid species in the lake had been identified.

Since then, along with colleagues Dr. Jay Stauffer and Dr. Ad Konings, he has found many more species. Indeed, after two and a half decades of diving and research, almost 400 more cichlid species have been described.

Around 400 more waiting to be discovered
Approximately 400 cichlid species are thought to be swimming around in the lake that have yet to be discovered, with a total estimated number of cichlid species in the lake at more than 900. In addition, there are some non-cichlid species as well, bringing the total of fish species in the lake to more than one thousand.

All but 2 are found no-where else
Ken emphasizes the point by saying that of all the known cichlid fishes in Lake Malawi, all but two are endemic. In other words, almost all of these fish species do not exist anywhere else in the world.