Haplochromis brownae

• Summary
• Classification Schemes
• Images & External Links
• Bibliography
• Full Account

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	CICHLIDAE

Scientific Name:	Haplochromis brownae
Species Authority:	Greenwood, 1962
Synonym/s:	Astatotilapia brownae (Greenwood, 1962)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Critically Endangered   C2a(ii)   ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Witte, F., de Zeeuw, M.P. & Brooks, E.
Reviewer/s:	Darwall, W. & Smith, K.
Justification: This species was known to occur in Lake Victoria in the past, but it has not been confirmed since the 1980s despite surveys in the area. The main threat to this species which was responsible for its dramatic decline in the early 1980s was the introduction of the Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) to Lake Victoria. Whilst many Haplochromis species suffered dramatic population crashes, many have shown signs of recovery in the last few years, however this species has not been seen since the 1980s. There are some unclear specimens that may represent possible hybrids of this species, however these are likely to be misidentifications. If it is still present it is likely to be extremely rare with very few individuals, and it is now Possibly Extinct. Should positive identifications be made this assessment should be revised.
History:	1996 – Endangered 1996 – Endangered (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Lake Victoria. It has been recorded in surveys carried out in Tanzania and Uganda (Greenwood 1981).
Countries:	Possibly extinct: Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:

This species has declined in numbers dramatically since 1980. Frequency of occurrence data per 5 minute trawl across shallow sand in Mwanza Gulf (Witte et al. 1992) show a decrease from 81% in 1979-82, to 0% in 1987/88 and 1993/95. In data from 2006/08, only occasionally was a specimen caught that might belong to this species, however due to apparent hybridisation, these specimens cannot be confirmed and are likely to have been misidentified.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species has been found over sandy substrate in the littoral zone. It is classified as an insectivore.
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.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

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.

Bibliography [top]

Greenwood, P.H. 1962. A revision of the Lake Victoria Haplochromis species (Pisces, Cichlidae), Part V. Bulletin British Museum of Natural History (Zoology) 9: 139-214. IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 2 September 2010).