EDITOR'S UPDATE
With holiday distractions behind us, let’s hope this issue brings some welcome relief from winter doldrums — at least for those of you in colder climates. In fact, the contents of this issue promise to take you far afield of the norm for the hobby, as in addition to our regular coverage of Malawi and Tanganyikan favorites, we visit such disparate locales as Lake Kivu, Lake Barombi Mbo in West Africa, and Madagascar. Hopefully, introductions to such lesser-known inhabitants of the cichlid world will encourage their growth in the hobby; as emphasized by the authors herein, these fishes are not only of interest for their own unique appearances and behaviors, but also due to the threatened status of native populations in the wild. So keeping and breeding these species not only adds to our general knowledge about cichlids, but more importantly helps to maintain genetic stocks that we might otherwise lose. 

As he’s done so often in the past, Paul Loiselle has a knack for getting hold of some of cichlidom’s oddest representatives. As such he not only sets an example for the rest of us, but also practices what he preaches with regard to conservation efforts. Here he brings us the scoop on — of all things — a sponge-eating specialist, Pungu maclareni, from the unique endemic species flock of Lake Barombi Mbo in Cameroon. Paul deserves our recognition and appreciation for taking on the task of obtaining and reporting on — and eventually distributing — such novelties. Along the same lines, Uwe Werner, a German hobbyist, has reviewed his own and other available information on the Malagasy genus Paratilapia. I’ve chosen to include a condensed version of his report (which first appeared in Cichlidae, the journal of the Dutch Cichlid Association) in hopes of boosting interest in these fishes in the U.S. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the fishes of Lake Kivu, as they are virtually unavailable to us in the hobby; nevertheless, being aware of their existence, which is the goal of Justyn Miller’s report, could be a first step in stimulating efforts to obtain them. And for you Rift Lake purists, don’t dismay. Even Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika continue to reveal new or, at least, poorly-known, species, as reflected by articles by Ad Konings on a new Neolamprologus and Larry Johnson on the genus Mylochromis

The result? Many “new” species for a happy New Year. So enjoy!
 

Jeffrey N. Taylor, Editor 
 

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