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The link between the evolution of advanced sociality and cognition has been an important concept across fields and taxonomic boundaries. However, in many study systems, ecological and phylogenetic confounds impair evolutionary inferences drawn when comparing social organization. Here, we highlight the value of the shell-dwelling Lamprologine cichlids of Lake Tanganyika in studies of cognitive and social evolution. These species show differences in social organization, both within and across species, but otherwise exhibit remarkable similarities in their ecology and life history. We focus on the ecological and social attributes of 15 Lamprologine cichlids that live in permanent association with empty gastropod shells, often in syntopy and with largely overlapping ecological niches. We then discuss difficulties with terminology and categorization of social organization, outlining current and emerging methodologies to address these limitations. Our goal is twofold: (i) to gather available empirical evidence on the behaviour, life history, and ecology of shell-dwelling Lamprologine cichlids, highlighting their potential in comparative studies of cognition and evolution, and (ii) to stimulate debate and critical appraisal of current terminology and categorizations of social structure, ideally leading to more precise and empirically standardized definitions of sociality in cichlids.

Studying the evolution of social behaviour in one of Darwin’s Dreamponds: a case for the Lamprologine shell-dwelling cichlids