Haplochromis megalops

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	CICHLIDAE

Scientific Name:	Haplochromis megalops
Species Authority:	Greenwood & Gee, 1969
Synonym/s:	Astatotilapia megalops (Greenwood & Gee, 1969)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

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

Reviewer/s:

Darwall, W. & Smith, K.

Justification:
The population density of this species was known in the past. The current population density is not known, and the species has declined since the 1970s but has been confirmed to still occur in Lake Victoria in low numbers. The threat responsible for its dramatic decline in the early 1980s was the introduction of the Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) to Lake Victoria. Although recent surveys suggest that this species may have started increasing in numbers, it is still very likely only to be found at a few locations, and it is therefore assessed as Vulnerable.

History:

2006	–	Critically Endangered (IUCN 2006)
1996	–	Extinct
1996	–	Extinct

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Lake Victoria. It has been recorded in surveys carried out in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (Greenwood 1981).
Countries:	Native: Kenya; 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 10 min trawling in Mwanza Gulf (based on the value at the station with the highest frequency, with 10-28 catches, Witte et al. 1992) show a decrease from 90% in 1979-82, to 0% in 1987/88 and 1993/95, and less than 1% for 2006/08.
Population Trend:	Increasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This is a pelagic species from the littoral and sub-littoral zone, occurring over sand and mud. It is classified as a zooplanktivore.
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The main threat to this species is predation by Nile Perch (a potentially reversible threat). It is also potentially threatened by 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).

Major Threat(s):

The main threat to this species is predation by Nile Perch (a potentially reversible threat). It is also potentially threatened by 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).

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.

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. and Gee, J.M. 1969. A revision of the Lake Victoria Haplochromis species (Pisces, Cichlidae), Part VII. Bulletin British Museum of Natural History (Zoology) 18(1): 1-65. IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 2 September 2010). Mrosso, H.J.D., Msuku, B.S. and Seehausen, O. 2003. Relationships between water transparency and species richness of surviving haplochromines encountered in selected habitats in Mwanza gulf- Lake Victoria (In press). Tanzania Journal of Science. Witte, F., Goldschmidt, T., Wanink, J., van Oijen, M., Goudswaard, K., Witte-Maas, E. and Bouton, N. 1992. The destruction of endermic species flock: quantitative data on the decline of the haplochromine cichlids of Lake Victoria. Environmental Biology of Fishes 34: 1-28. Witte, F., Msuku, B.S., Wanink, J.H., Seehausen, O., Katunzi, E.F.B., Goudswaard, P.C. and Goldschmidt, T. 2000. Recovery of cichlid species in Lake Victoria: an examination of factors leading to differntial extinction. Reviews in Fish Biology & Fisheries 10: 233-241.

Greenwood, P.H. and Gee, J.M. 1969. A revision of the Lake Victoria Haplochromis species (Pisces, Cichlidae), Part VII. Bulletin British Museum of Natural History (Zoology) 18(1): 1-65.

IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 2 September 2010).

Mrosso, H.J.D., Msuku, B.S. and Seehausen, O. 2003. Relationships between water transparency and species richness of surviving haplochromines encountered in selected habitats in Mwanza gulf- Lake Victoria (In press). Tanzania Journal of Science.

Witte, F., Goldschmidt, T., Wanink, J., van Oijen, M., Goudswaard, K., Witte-Maas, E. and Bouton, N. 1992. The destruction of endermic species flock: quantitative data on the decline of the haplochromine cichlids of Lake Victoria. Environmental Biology of Fishes 34: 1-28.

Witte, F., Msuku, B.S., Wanink, J.H., Seehausen, O., Katunzi, E.F.B., Goudswaard, P.C. and Goldschmidt, T. 2000. Recovery of cichlid species in Lake Victoria: an examination of factors leading to differntial extinction. Reviews in Fish Biology & Fisheries 10: 233-241.

Citation:	Witte, F., de Zeeuw, M.P. & Brooks, E. 2010. Haplochromis megalops. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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