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 ?; 7°S - 9°S
Africa: Lake Rukwa in Tanzania.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 33.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4967)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 15 - 17;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 11-13;
Anal
spines: 3;
Anal
soft rays: 10 - 11;
Vertebrae: 30. Caudal fin free of scales except basally. Scales on cheek in 2 rows. Vertebrae 30. Outer teeth bicuspid, occasionally with a few tricuspids. Breeding males mainly black with orange margins to dorsal and caudal fins; pelvic fins black or yellowish and the long genital tassels orange-yellow; iridescent marblings on gill-cover and snout.
Inhabits lakes and rivers (Ref. 4967). Males construct territories in shallow water. Where there is ample space, each territory consisted of a central raised mating platform in the middle of a large circular depression (Ref. 2).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Males construct breeding territories in shallow water, each territory consisting of a central raised mating platform at the center of a large circular depression. Males occupy territory at sunrise when water temperature was 12°C. Exhibits pseudo-spawning and true spawning.
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
More information
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
