The Adaptive Radiation of Cichlid Fish in Lake Tanganyika: A Morphological Perspective

Figure 4

Schematic depiction of the allometric shape change of the lower pharyngeal jaw of Lepidiolamprologus elongatus, a diurnal top predator in Lake Tanganyika’s shallow rocky habitat (modified from [70]). Note that the allometric shape change coincides with the shift to (almost) exclusive piscivory (data on feeding habits from [154–157]. The lower pharyngeal jaws of representatives of four distinct size classes are also shown to highlight the overall allometric shape change. SL, standard length; LPL, length of lower pharyngeal jaw; LPW, width of lower pharyngeal jaw.