Haplochromis gowersi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	CICHLIDAE

Scientific Name:	Haplochromis gowersi
Species Authority:	Trewavas, 1928
Synonym/s:	Prognathochromis gowersi (Trewavas, 1928)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Data Deficient ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2010

Assessor/s:

Witte, F. & de Zeeuw, M.P.

Reviewer/s:

Darwall, W. & Smith, K.

Justification:
There is no information available on the population size of this species now, or in the past. Presence of the species has never been confirmed in the Tanzania sector of Lake Victoria by the Haplochromis Ecology Survey Team. A lake wide survey is needed before a full assessment can be made.

History:

1996	–	Extinct
1996	–	Extinct

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Lake Victoria, where it has been recorded in surveys carried out in Uganda (Greenwood 1981).
Countries:	Native: Uganda
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	No information available.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is found over all substrates in the littoral zone (along rocky shores, over sand and over mud), except vegetation. It is classified as a piscivore (sensu stricto).
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The main threat to this species is hybridization due to decreased water transparency (on account of eutrophication and erosion leading to increased sedimentation and runoff) interfering with mate recognition visual cues (Mrosso et al. 2003). An additional threat is predation by Nile Perch (a potentially reversible threat). This species is fished, although not targeted specifically.

Major Threat(s):

The main threat to this species is hybridization due to decreased water transparency (on account of eutrophication and erosion leading to increased sedimentation and runoff) interfering with mate recognition visual cues (Mrosso et al. 2003). An additional threat is predation by Nile Perch (a potentially reversible threat). This species is fished, although not targeted specifically.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	More information is needed on the presence and range of this species within the lake. Many fish species within Lake Victoria have suffered severe and dramatic declines since the introduction of the Nile Perch. Although numbers of the perch have now decreased, the degradation of the water quality is also thought to be having a significant impact on some fish species. More research is needed to monitor this species and how it is affected by these threats, as well as establishing the extent of its range within the lake. Policy based action is needed to decrease the degradation of the lake, as well as to prevent over fishing. Protected areas should also be established.

Conservation Actions:

More information is needed on the presence and range of this species within the lake. Many fish species within Lake Victoria have suffered severe and dramatic declines since the introduction of the Nile Perch. Although numbers of the perch have now decreased, the degradation of the water quality is also thought to be having a significant impact on some fish species. More research is needed to monitor this species and how it is affected by these threats, as well as establishing the extent of its range within the lake. Policy based action is needed to decrease the degradation of the lake, as well as to prevent over fishing. Protected areas should also be established.

Citation:	Witte, F. & de Zeeuw, M.P. 2010. Haplochromis gowersi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 February 2012.
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