konye

The konye (Konia eisentrauti) is a critically endangered species of fish in the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Barombi Mbo, a crater lake in western Cameroon. It is threatened because of pollution and sedimentation due to human activities, and potentially also by large emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the lake's bottom (compare Lake Nyos). This species can reach a length of 9.3 centimetres (3.7 in) TL.

The konye is a benthopelagic species living in the warm upper waters of the lake where the temperature is around 26 °C (79 °F). It feeds on pieces of plant, scraping algae off rocks and stones, and also on mayflies, small invertebrates and fish eggs and sometimes steals food collected by freshwater crabs. This fish is a mouthbrooder. Either of the parents take the fertilised eggs into their mouth, and retain them there for protection. While mouthbrooding, the fish tends to remain quietly near the lakebed, and females tend to be more successful at raising the young than males. The incubation period is 7 to 10 days, the fry usually being expelled to live independently after about three weeks.

The konye is a small species of cichlid growing to a length of about 9.3 cm (3.7 in). It is somewhat laterally compressed and has a horizontal mouth and sloping forehead. The fins are colourless. the dorsal fin has 15 to 16 spines and 10 to 11 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 to 9 soft rays. The colouring of this fish is distinctive, with a pale background shade and a row of dark blotches running down the back, and another row along each flank. The head is mostly bare of scales, the cheeks have a few scales and the body is fully scaled.

The specific name honours Martin Eisentraut (1902-1994), a German zoologist, who was leader of the expedition which collected the type.