Oreochromis mossambicus

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Family : Cichlids ; Most common in blind estuaries and coastal lakes [1]. Also found in warm weedy pools of sluggish streams , canals, and ponds [2]. Mainly diurnal . May form schools. Omnivorous , feeds on almost anything from algae to insects. Can be reared under hyper-saline conditions[3]. Marketed fresh and frozen[4]. Juveniles are carnivorous , adults tend to be herbivorous[5]. Exhibits considerable plasticity in its feeding habits as well as in its reproductive biology [6].

Near Threatened

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

Physical Description

Habitat

Many tilapias can live quite happily in seawater. The fact that they have not typically invaded coral reefs is perhaps due to predation by marine fishes . (Courtenay, W., pers. comm. , 2004). Oreochromis mossambicus is very hardy and tolerates the high salinities of atoll lagoons , such as that at Fanning Atoll (Lobel 1980). Thought to be ideal pond fish , they readily produce stunted stocks when overcrowded, as has been observed on Pagan in the Northern Mariana Islands (Source: SPREP).

Typically found in a lake at a mean distance from sea level of 529 meters (1,735 feet).[7]

Ecology: Occurs in all but fast-flowing waters; thrives in standing waters . Further south in its range it is most common in blind estuaries and coastal lakes where it tolerates brackish and marine environments. Feeds on algae, especially diatoms , and detritus , large individuals also take insects and other invertebrates . Breeds in summer, females raising multiple broods every 3 to 4 weeks during a season . Males construct a saucer-shaped nest on sandy bottoms : the female mouthbroods the eggs , larvae and small fry . Juveniles shoal in shallow water. Prone to stunting under adverse or crowded conditions (Skelton 2001). [8].

List of Habitats :

•     5     Wetlands (inland)   
  
•     5.1     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls )   
  
•     5.2     Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks   
  
•     5.4     Wetlands (inland) - Bogs , Marshes, Swamps , Fens , Peatlands   
  
•     5.5     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)   
  
•     5.6     Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)   
  
•     5.7     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)   
  
•     5.8     Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)   
  
•     5.13     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Inland Deltas   
  
•     5.14     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes   
  
•     5.15     Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats   
  
•     5.16     Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools   
  
•     5.17     Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools   
  
•     9     Marine Neritic   
  
•     9.10     Marine Neritic - Estuaries   
  
•     12     Marine Intertidal   
  
•     12.5     Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses)   
  
•     13     Marine Coastal/Supratidal   
  
•     13.4     Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes   
  
•     13.5     Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Freshwater Lakes   
  
•     15     Artificial/Aquatic & Marine   
  
•     15.1     Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over 8ha)   
  
•     15.2     Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below 8ha)   
  
•     15.3     Artificial/Aquatic - Aquaculture Ponds   
  
•     15.7     Artificial/Aquatic - Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels )   
  
•     15.8     Artificial/Aquatic - Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land   
  
•     15.9     Artificial/Aquatic - Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches   
[more info]

Biology

Reproduction

Egg-layer.Male builds spawning pits. Up to 1775 ripe eggs in one female. Hatching after 3-5 days; fry released 10-14 days after spawning, but mouthbrooded for about another week; more than one brood per season .

Size and age of sexual maturity varies according to environmental conditions, with spawning in ponds at 2-3 months and 6-10 cm for females and 7-13 cm for males at intervals of 1- 5 months. In natural conditions sexual maturity at greater age and size.

Taxonomy

Synonyms

Chromis dumerilii • Chromis dumerilii Steindachner • Chromis mossambicus Peters • Chromis mossambicus Peters, 1852 • Chromis natalensis • Chromis natalensis Weber • Chromis niloticus (Non Linnaeus) • Chromis niloticus mossambicus Peters • Chromis vorax • Chromis vorax Pfeffer • Cromis mossambicus Peters • Oreochromis mossambica • Oreochromis mossambica (Peters • Oreochromis mossambica (Peters, 1852) • Oreochromis mossambicus • Oreochromis mozambica • Oreochromis mozambica (Peters • Oreochromis mozambica (Peters, 1852) • Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis • Oreochromis niloticus cancellatus • Oreochromis niloticus eduardianus • Oreochromis niloticus filoa • Oreochromis niloticus filoa (Trewavas 1983) • Oreochromis niloticus niloticus • Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis Trewavas, 1983 • Oreochromis niloticus cancellatus (Nichols, 1923) • Oreochromis niloticus eduardianus (Boulenger, 1912) • Oreochromis niloticus filoa Trewavas, 1983 • Oreochromis niloticus niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) • Oreochromis niloticus sugutae Trewavas, 1983 • Oreochromis niloticus vulcani (Trewavas, 1933) • Oreochromis niloticus sugutae • Oreochromis niloticus vulcani • Oreochromis pangani girigan • Oreochromis pangani pangani • Oreochromis pangani girigan (Lowe, 1955) • Oreochromis pangani pangani (Lowe, 1955) • Oreochromis placidus placidus • Oreochromis placidus ruvumae • Oreochromis placidus placidus (Trewavas, 1941) • Oreochromis placidus ruvumae (Trewavas, 1966) • Perca nilotica • Perca nilotica Linnaeus, 1758 • Sarotherodon mossambicus (Peters • Tilapia arnoldi • Tilapia arnoldi Gilchrist & Thompson • Tilapia cancellata • Tilapia cancellata Nichols, 1923 • Tilapia dumerili (Steindachner • Tilapia dumerilii (Steindachner • Tilapia eduardiana Boulenger, 1912 • Tilapia girigan • Tilapia girigan Lowe, 1955 • Tilapia kafuensis (Non Boulenger • Tilapia mossambica (Peters • Tilapia mossambica mossambica (Peters • Tilapia mossambicus (Peters • Tilapia natalensis (Weber • Tilapia pangani • Tilapia pangani Lowe, 1955 • Tilapia placida Trewavas, 1941 • Tilapia ruvumae • Tilapia ruvumae Trewavas, 1966 • Tilapia vorax (Pfeffer • Tilapia vulcani • Tilapia vulcani Trewavas, 1933

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: Data last modified by FishBase 15-Dec-1995

Similar Species

Members of the genus Oreochromis

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 41 species and subspecies in this genus:

O. alcalicus (Lake Magadi Tilapia) · O. alcalicus alcalicus (Lake Natron Tilapia) · O. andersonii (Threespot Bream) · O. andersonii (Three-Spotted Tilapia) · O. aureus (Jordan St. Peter´s Fish) · O. esculentus (Singidia Tilapia) · O. hunteri (Lake Chala Tilapia) · O. jipe (Jipe Tilapia) · O. karomo (Karomo) · O. karongae (Tilapia) · O. korogwe (Korogwe Tilapia) · O. leucostictus (Blue Spotted Tilapia) · O. lidole (Green-Head Tilapia) · O. macrochir (Mozambique Mouth-Brooder) · O. macrochir macrochir (Green-Headed Bream) · O. mortimeri (Kariba Tilapia) · O. mossambicus (Mozambique Mouth-Brooder) · O. mweruensis (Mweru Tilapia) · O. niloticus (Tilapia) · O. niloticus baringoensis (Baringo Tilapia) · O. niloticus eduardianus (Nile Tilapia) · O. niloticus niloticus (Baringo Tilapia) · O. niloticus sugutae (Suguta Tilapia) · O. niloticus vulcani (Turkana Tilapia) · O. placidus (Black Tilapia) · O. placidus placidus (Rovuma Tilapia) · O. placidus rovumae (Black Tilapia) · O. rukwaensis (Lake Rukwa Tilapia) · O. saka (Tilapia) · O. salinicola (Buffalo Springs Tilapia) · O. shiranus (Ulenger) · O. shiranus chilwae (Chilwa Tilapia) · O. spilurus (Oulenger) · O. spilurus niger (Athi River Tilapia) · O. spilurus percivali (Buffalo Springs Tilapia) · O. spilurus spilurus (Sabaki Tilapia) · O. upembae (Rufigi Tilapia) · O. urolepis (Rufigi Tilapia) · O. urolepis hornorum (Wami Tilapia) · O. urolepis urolepis (Rufigi Tilapia) · O. variabilis (Victoria Tilapia)

More Info

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Further Reading

• A floral and faunal inventory of the Parc national de Marojejy, Madagascar: with reference to elevational variation / Steven M. Goodman, editor. 97 2000 [Chicago, Ill.]: Field Museum of Natural History, c2000. url p. 150, p. 284.
• Annual report - Western Society of Malacologists. Pomona, Calif., Western Society of Malacologists. url p. 34.
• Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). London: BM(NH) url p. 141.
• Directory of Wetlands of International Importance. IUCN url p. 541, p. 773.
• Fishery bulletin / U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. Washington, D.C.: The Service: url p. 1016.
• Functional design of the air ventilation apparatus and overland excurions by teleosts / Karel F. Liem. 37 1987 Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1987. url fig. 14 , fig. 13, page 20, p. 21, p. iii.
• Global venting, midwater, and benthic ecological processes / Michael P. De Luca and Ivar Babb, editors. [Rockville, Md.]: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Office of Undersea Research, [1988] url p. 344.
• IUCN Directory of Afrotropical Protected Areas IUCN, UNEP url p. 1026, p. 675, p. 685, p. 686, p. 697.
• IUCN Directory of Protected Areas in Oceania IUCN url p. 236.

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 30, 2012.
• Cambray, J. & Swartz, E. 2007. Oreochromis mossambicus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloadedon 03February2012.
• FishBase 2006.
• FishBase. Release date: January 5, 2010
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 25, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
• IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on January 28, 2012.
• Ruggiero M., Gordon D., Bailly N., Kirk P., Nicolson D. (2011). The Catalogue of Life Taxonomic Classification, Edition 2, Part A. In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds). DVD; Species 2000: Reading, UK.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 15, 2007:

• Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, Fish Collection
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity - Fish Collection
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, iziko South African Museum - Fish Collection
• Museum national d'histoire naturelle, Ichtyologie
• Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, MCZ Fish Collection
• OZCAM
• Provider, Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums
• Royal Ontario Museum, Fish specimens
• Senckenberg, Collection Pisces
• UNIBIO, IBUNAM, CNPE/Coleccion Nacional de Peces

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 133894
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Fis-22699
• Fishbase Species ID: 3
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13536119
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 170015
• IUCN ID: 228530
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: AFCQJ10010
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 17565

Footnotes

1. Blaber, S.J.M. (1997). Fish and fisheries of tropical estuaries. Fish and Fisheries Ser. 22, Chapman and Hall, London. 367 p. [back]
2. Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (1991). A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. [back]
3. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott (1991). World fishes important to North Americans. Exclusive of species from the continental waters of the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. ( ... [back]
4. Frimodt, C. (1995). Multilingual illustrated guide to the world's commercial warmwater fish. Fishing News Books, Osney Mead, Oxford, England. 215 p. [back]
5. Otto-Infante, C. (1985). Bio-ecological aspects of the tilapia Sarotherodon mossambicus Peters 1852 (Teleostei, Perciformes, Cichlidae) in Lake Valencia, Venezuela. Acta Cient. Venez. 36(1):68-76. [back]
6. Maitipe, P. and S.S. De Silva (1985). Switches between zoophagy, phytophagy and detritivory of Sarotherodon mossambicus (Peters) populations in twelve man-made Sri Lankan lakes. J. Fish Biol. 26:49-61. [back]
7. Standard Deviation = 680.190 based on 861 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
8. Cambray, J. & Swartz, E. 2007. Oreochromis mossambicus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 03 February 2012. [back]

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