Scientific Name
Oreochromis variabilis

Common Name
Victoria tilapia

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9 - 11; Vertebrae: 29 - 31. Margin of the dorsal fin orange in females and non-breeding males; intense orange to scarlet in breeding males. Profile convex immediately before the eye. Usually 2 rows of scales on cheek. Caudal not heavily scaled. Preserved specimens often show 2-3 vague dark mid-lateral blotches and one on top of the peduncle. Body color grey-green (Ref.4967).

Classification

Classified By

Boulenger, 1906

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Cichlids (Cichlidae)

Distribution

Region

Africa

Distribution

Africa: Lake Victoria and its affluent rivers; the Victoria Nile above the Murchison Falls; Lakes Kyoga, Kwania and Salisbury (Ref. 5166). It is strongly declining or has disappeared in many areas of the Lake Victoria drainage (Ref. 52331).

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

4 m

Depth To - meters

49 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Freshwater; benthopelagic; depth range 4 - 49 m

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

False

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (18 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec=500)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Critically Endangered (CR) (B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v))