Tanzania (United Republic of) country information

Common names: Chengu, Mkombozi, Sangala
Occurrence: introduced
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: highly commercial | Ref: Eccles, D.H., 1992
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Introduced to feed on abundant but unexploited small size haplochromines, to convert them into larger table fish (Ref. 7270). Its introduction to Lake Victoria virtually eliminated numerous unique cichlids in the area and has been the subject of many debates (Ref. 1739). Also Ref. 13624.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/tz.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.isp.msu.edu/AFRICANSTUDIES/PLEA/TAFIRI.HTM
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Eccles, D.H., 1992
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Latidae (Lates perches)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Окунь нильский, 尼罗鲈, Perche du Nil, ... more

Main reference

Teugels, G.G., C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and K. Traoré. 1988. (Ref. 272)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 58490); common length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34290); max. published weight: 200.0 kg (Ref. 3900)

Length at first maturity
L_m 74.3, range 53 - 85 cm

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - 60 m (Ref. 34290)

Climate / Range

Tropical, preferred ?; 27°N - 7°S

Distribution

Africa: widespread throughout the Nilo-Sudan region of Africa, occurring commonly in all major river basins including the Senegal, Niger, Volta, Chad (Ref. 81285) and Nile (Ref. 3636). Found almost everywhere in West Africa, except in Gambia (Ref. 81285). Also present in the Congo basin and lakes Albert, Turkana/Rudolph and Tana (Ref. 3636). Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-14. Diagnosis: mouth large and protrusible, lower jaw prominent; numerous villiform teeth present in jaws and on palate (Ref. 81285). Preorbital (Ref. 4967) and preopercle denticulate (Ref. 4967, 81285). A strong opercular spine present (Ref. 4967, 81285). Caudal fin rounded (Ref. 4967, 81285). Scales ctenoid, 54-74 along lateral line, followed by 6-8 pored scales on caudal-fin base; ceratobranchial (lower limb) of first gill arch with 12-14 gill rakers (Ref. 81285). Coloration: body uniformly silvery (Ref. 81285) or dark greyish-blue dorsally, greyish-silver on flank and ventrally (Ref. 34290). Fins greyish; interior of eye conspicuously yellowish; juveniles brownish with lighter marbling (Ref. 81285).

Inhabits channels, lakes and irrigation canals. Adults inhabit deep water, while juveniles are found in shallow water. Feeds on fish especially clupeids and Alestes (Ref. 13851); smaller fish also feed on larger crustaceans and insects. Juveniles are planktivorous (Ref. 28714). Threatened due to over harvesting (Ref. 58490). No length type given but assumed to be in TL. Maximum reported size of 180.0 cm corresponding to a weight of 164 kg in Lake Albert (Ref. 81285).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Potential pest

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 0.5006 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.5 ±0.8 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.19; tm=2-3)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Unknown

Lates niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)