The damba (Paretroplus damii) is a species of cichlid.

Etymology

The genus name Paretroplus is composed by the Greek Para (meaning similar to) and Etroplus (a closely related genus of Indian cichlids). The Latin species name damii honors the naturalist Douwe Casparus van Dam (1827-1898).

Description

P. damii is the largest Paretroplus, reaching the total length of about 17 - 40 cm. No sexual dimorphism exists in size or in other characteristics. These fishes have a rounded shape, with a light pink / grey colouration in absence of vertical barring.

Distribution

This species can be found in several river basins in northwestern Madagascar. This includes populations in far northern Madagascar that some have speculated represented an undescribed species, but a comparison of specimens did not support this, instead maintaining them as part of P. damii. In contrast, populations in the Mahanara River in northeastern Madagascar were formerly also included in P. damii, but these were described as a separate species, P. loisellei, in 2011, and populations in the Ankofia River basin in northwestern Madagascar (south of true P. damii) appear to represent a closely related undescribed species.