Cichlid fish are a type of freshwater fish that are found in warmer waters around the world. Approximately 10% of all bony fish
are cichlids. A single lake in Africa, like Lake Malawi, may have hundreds of species of cichlid in it. Different types of food resource are exploited by different species and different species live in varied lake ecosystems: see graph above. The cichlids range in size from 4 cm, small enough to live in a snail shell, to 90 cm. There are differences in morphology, particularly of feeding mechanisms, as well as many behavioral differences between the various species. Based on this information, all BUT ONE statement is true about the cichlids in Lake Malawi. A) The cichlid species in Lake Malawi are niche specialists.
B) Specialists experience much competition for the resources they use.
C) The cichlid have evolved from a single ancestor through adaptive radiation.
D) Specialization has allowed multiple species to co-exist in the lake, thereby increasing biodiversity.
