Haplochromis phytophagus

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 phytophagus
Species Authority:	Greenwood, 1966
Synonym/s:	Xystichromis phytophagus (Greenwood, 1966)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Data Deficient ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

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

Reviewer/s:

Darwall, W. & Smith, K.

Justification:
No information is available on population densities from the past or present. More information is needed on this species before a full assessment can be made.

History:

2006	–	Critically Endangered (IUCN 2006)
1996	–	Critically Endangered (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1996	–	Critically Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

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

Population [top]

Population:	No information available.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species has been found over sandy substrate in the littoral zone. This species is thought to be a plant-eater.
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 phytophagus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 May 2012.
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