Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) > Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Oreochromis: Latin, aurum = gold + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: known only from the catchment of Lake Natron in Tanzania (Ref. 32272, 118638).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 32272)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 12; Anal spines: 3 - 4; Anal soft rays: 9 - 11. Diagnosis: A very small slender species with a narrow ventrally-placed mouth (Ref. 118638). Mature males have dark-edged dorsal and anal fins, iridescent blue-white spots on flanks, white lower lips, and a spotted caudal fin; male breeding dress shows geographic variation, with males of some populations having yellow throats and white bellies, while others are a fiery orange underneath (Ref. 118638). Females and non-territorial males are sandy-coloured, paler ventrally, sometimes with faint vertical bars (Ref. 118638).

It inhabits the springs and some spring-fed creeks near the southern and south-eastern shores of Lake Natron (Ref. 32272). It co-occurs with Alcolapia alcalicus and Alcolapia latilabris (Ref. 32272). Observed to nibble at stones and gravel, probably taking mainly algae for food; omnivorous, taking insects from the water surface as well (Ref. 32272). A maternal mouthbrooder: males defend spawning territories among rocks in shallow water (Ref. 32272, 118638). Potential as an aquarium fish (Ref. 118638).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

A maternal mouthbrooder: males defend spawning territories among rocks in shallow water (Ref. 32272, 118638). Females carry eggs and larvae in their mouths (Ref. 32272).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Seegers, L. and H. Tichy, 1999. The Oreochromis alcalicus flock (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from lakes Natron and Magadi, Tanzania and Kenya, with descriptions of two new species. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 10(2):97-146. (Ref. 32272)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Vulnerable (VU) (D2); Date assessed: 31 January 2006

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology

Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance

Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics

Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos

Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith

Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)

Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability

Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.

Outreach
Collaborators

Taxonomy
Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
Morphometrics
Pictures

References
References

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.2 ±0.40 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

Oreochromis ndalalani Seegers & Tichy, 1999