Now for our summer issue. We open with a comprehensive review by Martin Geerts of currently-available evidence weighing on the controversy surrounding the cichlid fauna of Cuatro Cienegas, a tiny desert basin in northern Mexico. For over 25 years now, arguments have raged over whether the patterns of morphological variation in the endemic cichlids there reflect differences among several species or polymorphism within a single species. Proponents of either side of the debate are still visiting the area, collecting data and presenting their cases for each interpretation, as detailed here by Martin, and the jury is still out as to the proper conclusion. Having studied these fishes myself (albeit over two decades ago!), I’d like to add my own two bits — in the form of a caution — to the question at hand. It’s well established that construction of irrigation canals within the basin has allowed for colonization by Herichthys cyanoguttatus, which has hybridized extensively with the endemic form(s). Where do these hybrids fit in? Can they account for the higher percentage of so-called “intermediate” forms found in recent collections from the valley? Is this an argument to restrict our conclusions to only collections made prior to the introduction of C. cyanoguttatus? The problem persists.

   Elsewhere in this issue, we have a lot of Rift Lake coverage. For Lake Malawi we have reports, by Ad Konings and newcomer Jason Selong respectively, on a group of Otopharynx species and Pseudotropheus sp. “red-top Ndumbi”. And for Tanganyikan buffs, there’s coverage on Xenotilapia sp. “sunflower” by Eric Genevelle and Neolamprologus gracilis by Dan Woodland. So enjoy.