Haplochromis melanopterus

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 melanopterus
Species Authority:	Trewavas,1928
Synonym/s:	Lipochromis menaopterus ssp. complex

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. There are some unclear specimens that may represent possible hybrids of this species. The threat responsible for its dramatic decline in the early 1980s was the introduction of the Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) to Lake Victoria. It is not known to what extent this is affecting different areas of the lake, but its current distribution is likely restricted to only a few locations, and it is therefore assessed as Vulnerable.

History:

2006	–	Endangered (IUCN 2006)
1996	–	Critically Endangered
1996	–	Critically 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.
Countries:	Native: Tanzania, United Republic of
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Although the frequency of occurrence of this species was recorded as less than 10% within the Mwanza Gulf in 1978/79, it dropped to 0% within Mwanze Gulf and Speke Gulf in 1990 (Witte et al. 1992). It was however still reported at 1/22 catch localities in the Mwanze and Speke Gulf between 2004-2006, so is still present in the Lake (Mizoiri et al. 2008).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species has been found over mud substrate and between rocks in the littoral and sub-littoral zone. The species is a peadophage (piscivores sensu lato).
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]

	IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 2 September 2010). Mizoiri, S., Aibara, M., Takahashi, K., Sato, T., Nikaido, M., Watanabe, M., Seehausen, O., Witte, F., Van Oijen, M.J.P., Bwathondi, P.O., Ngatunga, B.P., Katunzi, E.F.B., Mrosso, H.D.J., Mzighani, S.I., Nakashio, M. and Okada, N. 2008. Live Cichlids in the Southern Lake Victoria — On-going Speciation. Tokyo Institut of Technology Press. 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.

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

Mizoiri, S., Aibara, M., Takahashi, K., Sato, T., Nikaido, M., Watanabe, M., Seehausen, O., Witte, F., Van Oijen, M.J.P., Bwathondi, P.O., Ngatunga, B.P., Katunzi, E.F.B., Mrosso, H.D.J., Mzighani, S.I., Nakashio, M. and Okada, N. 2008. Live Cichlids in the Southern Lake Victoria — On-going Speciation. Tokyo Institut of Technology Press.

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.

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