Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Oreochromis: Latin, aurum = gold + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical, preferred ?
Africa: Lake Jipe and Pangani River (Kenya-Tanzania).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 20 - ? cm
Max length : 50.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 17 - 19;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 11-13;
Anal
spines: 3-5;
Anal
soft rays: 10 - 12;
Vertebrae: 32 - 33. Diagnosis: body depth 2.5-2.8 times in SL (Ref. 4967, 55060). Mouth not conspicuously large (Ref. 54836). Teeth of jaws with slender shafts in young, uniformly slender in adults (Ref. 2). Pharyngeal teeth very fine and crowded (Ref. 2, 55060). Dentigerous area of lower pharyngeal jaw with rounded lobes and short apex, its median length nearly always less than that of the blade (Ref. 2). Pectoral fin 34.3-42.2% SL (Ref. 2, 55060), rarely below 36% SL (Ref. 2), reaching origin of anal fin (Ref. 4967, 55060). Mostly with 4 anal spines, sometimes 3 (Ref. 2, 54836), rarely 5 (Ref. 2). Scales with dark centers and golden-yellow edges (Ref. 2). Caudal fin with dark vertical stripes (Ref. 2, 54836, 55060).
Inhabits lakes and rivers (Ref. 4967). Occasionally territorial (Ref. 2). Periphyton browser, additionally feeding on bottom deposits and associated phytoplankton (Ref. 30832). Maternal mouthbrooder (Ref. 54046, 55060).
Breeding pits may be similar to those of O. pangani, consisting of a central pit surrounded by two or three series of smaller pits (Ref. 2, 55060).
Trewavas, E., 1983. Tilapiine fishes of the genera Sarotherodon, Oreochromis and Danakilia. British Mus. Nat. Hist., London, UK. 583 p. (Ref. 2)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
