During our field season in Zambia in 2013, we logged a lot of dive hours studying the cichlids of Lake Tanganyika, so the photos above the surface don't really do justice to how we spent most of our time! Here are some photos of our field season, from the perspective below the surface. Photo credits to Susan Marsh-Rollo, Kelly Garvy, Isaac Ligocki, and Adam Reddon for many of these beautiful shots!
In the shallow water, there are many of the more colourful fishes in Lake Tanganyika.
Such as Eretmodus cyanostictus!
Ctenochromis horei.
Shoals of scale-eaters (Perissodus microlepis).
Cyathopharynx furcifer (top) and the beautiful Julidochromis marlieri.
The always-entertaining Ophthalmotilapia ventralis, and a Julidochromis ornatus (bottom left).
In the deeper water, there are bigger stretches of sand, and shell beds, as well as rocks and cobble, and the fish species change.
Nkupi (Boulengerochromis mircolepis), the largest cichlid in the world. This is a pair guarding a nest.
Lamprologus lemairii always look grumpy.
Lepidiolamprologus elongatus are the underwater wolves of Lake Tanganyika.
One of our main study species, Neolamprologus pulcher.
More Neolamprologus pulcher, showing off their highly social behaviour.
Telmatochromis temporalis, another cichlid that we worked with extensively.
A Telmatochromis temporalis pair.
A beautiful Neolamprologus tetracanthus.
A pair of shell-dwelling Lamprologus ocellatus.
Working underwater!
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