Kariba tilapia (Oreochromis mortimeri)

Scientific name: Oreochromis mortimeri Trewavas, 1966

The Kariba tilapia (Oreochromis mortimeri) is a freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae.

Biology

Forms schools. Is mainly diurnal; salt-tolerant. Feeds mainly on (filamentous) algae and diatoms, as well as higher plants, dipterous larvae, cladocerans, copepods, aquatic and terrestrial insects, shrimps, worms and mollusks. Mouthbrooder; spawns several times per year.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Oreochromis mortimeri
Family
Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
48.0
Environment
Freshwater; benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: Middle Zambezi and its tributaries, including Luangwa River (except probably the upper reaches of its tributaries Lunsemfwa and Mulungwishi above the escarpment), Hunyani River and Lake Kariba.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Critically Endangered (CR) (A2ae)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=8)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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