Copadichromis virginalis

Copadichromis virginalis is a species of haplochromine cichlid, which is endemic to Lake Malawi the upper Shire River and to Lake Malombe. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The population has shown signs of a severe decline and is under pressure from overfishing for food, in 2018 this led to the IUCN changing its status from Data Deficient to Near Threatened.^[1]

Copadichromis virginalis
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cichliformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Genus:	Copadichromis
Species:	C. virginalis
Binomial name
Copadichromis virginalis (Iles, 1960)
Synonyms[2]
Haplochromis virginalis Iles, 1960 Cyrtocara virginalis (Iles, 1960)

The form which occurs outside Lake Malawi does not breed in rocky areas whereas those in Lake Malawi use a rock habitat, these may be different species.^[1]