Tilapia mariae

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:

Tilapia mariae

Species Authority:

Boulenger, 1899

Common Name/s:

English

–

Black Mangrove Cichlid, Bone Back, Spotted Tilapia, Tilapia

Synonym/s:

Tilapia dubia Lönnberg, 1904

Tilapia mariae subspecies dubia Lönnberg, 1904

Tilapia mariae subspecies mariae Boulenger, 1899

Tilapia meeki Pellegrin, 1911

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Lalèyè, P., Moelants, T. & Olaosebikan, B.D.
Reviewer/s:	Snoeks, J., Tweddle, D., Getahun, A., Lalèyè, P., Paugy, D., Zaiss, R., Fishar, M.R.A & Brooks, E.
Contributor/s:
Justification: This species has a wide distribution, with no known major widespread threats. It is therefore listed as Least Concern. It has also been assessed regionally as Least Concern for central and western Africa.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from coastal lagoons and lower courses of rivers from Guinea-Bissau to Cameroon. It has been introduced to Australia in 1960 - 1969 and from West Africa to the USA in 1974. These populations have established themselves. It has also been introduced from West Africa to the USSR, but it is unknown whether their populations have established themselves. Central Africa: In Lower Guinea, Tilapia mariae occurs in coastal basins of the Cross Wouri, Sanaga, Nyong, Lokoundje, Kribi and Lobe (Cameroon) . Western Africa: In Western Africa, this species occurs in coastal lagoons and lower river courses from Côte d’Ivoire (starting at the Tabou) to the River Cross in Nigeria. So far, it has not been collected in the area between the Pra in Ghana and Benin. Also known from Guinea Bissau (Culufi River).
Countries:	Native: Benin; Cameroon; Côte d'Ivoire; Ghana; Guinea-Bissau; Nigeria
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:	Tilapia mariae occurs in coastal areas and the lower courses of rivers. It lives in still or flowing waters in rocky or mud-bottom areas. Tilapia mariae occurs in warm springs and mud-bottomed to sand-bottomed canals. It consumes plant matter. The species reaches sexual maturity at 10-15 centimetres length. Parents prepare nest site on logs, leaves and other debris. The eggs (600-3300 per female) are guarded by the parents and hatch in 1-3 days. Parental care of the brood continues until the fish are about 2.5-3.0 centimetres. It is a demersal species with a pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 and a dH range from 5 to 19. It lives in freshwater and in brackish water.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Tilapia mariae occurs in coastal areas and the lower courses of rivers. It lives in still or flowing waters in rocky or mud-bottom areas. Tilapia mariae occurs in warm springs and mud-bottomed to sand-bottomed canals. It consumes plant matter. The species reaches sexual maturity at 10-15 centimetres length. Parents prepare nest site on logs, leaves and other debris. The eggs (600-3300 per female) are guarded by the parents and hatch in 1-3 days. Parental care of the brood continues until the fish are about 2.5-3.0 centimetres. It is a demersal species with a pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 and a dH range from 5 to 19. It lives in freshwater and in brackish water.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Threats to this species include oil exploration in the Niger Delta. Elsewhere, impacts of deforestation, urban and agricultural development are localised threats. It is also a commercially harvested aquarium species.

Major Threat(s):

Threats to this species include oil exploration in the Niger Delta. Elsewhere, impacts of deforestation, urban and agricultural development are localised threats. It is also a commercially harvested aquarium species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	None known.

Conservation Actions:

None known.

Citation:	Lalèyè, P., Moelants, T. & Olaosebikan, B.D. 2010. Tilapia mariae. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2013.
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