Oreochromis placidus

Oreochromis placidus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cichliformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Genus:	Oreochromis
Species:	O. placidus
Binomial name
Oreochromis placidus Trewavas, 1941

The black tilapia (Oreochromis placidus) is a freshwater species of fish of the genus Oreochromis, found in the wide region of Southern Africa. It is a edible tropical fish.^[2]

Description

The black tilapia can grow to the recorded maximum length of 35.5 cm (14 inches).^[3] The fish is silvery to steel-grey, with white abdomen. There is a red or orange margin on the dorsal and grey or black marblings on the gill-cover.^[4] The species are only reported to be found in fresh water at low altitudes and latitudes which suggests its relatively low salinity and temperature tolerances.^[5]

Distribution

The species are mainly found in the lower Zambezi river and other rivers southwards such as Runde, Pungwe, Rovuma and Buzi river.^[6] It is also found in the lakes nearby.^[7]

References

1. "Reference Summary - IUCN, 2022". fishbase.mnhn.fr. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
2. Eissa, Alaa Eldin; Attia, Marwa M.; El Zlitne, Rabia A.; Magdy, Ayad A.; Edrees, Asmaa; Sharaf, Mahmoud S.; Mahmoud, Abeer E.; Abdelbaky, Awad A.; Abd ElMaged, Rehab R.; Ismael, Elshaimaa; Qorany, Rehab A.; El Moghazi, Doaa F.; Prince, Abdelbary; Afiffy, Emad A.; El Behiri, Said; Younis, Nehal A. (22 November 2023). "The puzzling etiologies of transient black discoloration in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) intensively cultured under RAS system". Aquaculture International. 32: 581–592. doi:10.1007/s10499-023-01328-9. ISSN 1573-143X.
3. El-Sayed, Abdel-Fattah M (1 September 1999). "Alternative dietary protein sources for farmed tilapia, Oreochromis spp". Aquaculture. 179 (1): 149–168. doi:10.1016/S0044-8486(99)00159-3. ISSN 0044-8486. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
4. Nascimento, Beatriz Miguez; de Paula, Thiago Silva; Brito, Paulo Marques Machado (1 December 2023). "DNA barcode of tilapia fish fillet from the Brazilian market and a standardized COI haplotyping for molecular identification of Oreochromis spp. (Actinopterygii, Cichlidae)". Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments. 3: 100059. doi:10.1016/j.fsiae.2022.100059. ISSN 2666-9374.
5. Dalu, T; Clegg, Bw; Nhiwatiwa, T (29 November 2013). "A study of the ichthyofauna of a small tropical reservoir, south-eastern lowveld, Zimbabwe". African Journal of Aquatic Science. 38 (sup1): 105–113. doi:10.2989/16085914.2013.768953. ISSN 1608-5914. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
6. Shechonge, Asilatu; Ngatunga, Benjamin P.; Bradbeer, Stephanie J.; Day, Julia J.; Freer, Jennifer J.; Ford, Antonia G. P.; Kihedu, Jonathan; Richmond, Tabitha; Mzighani, Semvua; Smith, Alan M.; Sweke, Emmanuel A.; Tamatamah, Rashid; Tyers, Alexandra M.; Turner, George F.; Genner, Martin J. (2019). "Widespread colonisation of Tanzanian catchments by introduced Oreochromis tilapia fishes: the legacy from decades of deliberate introduction". Hydrobiologia. 832 (1): 235–253. doi:10.1007/s10750-018-3597-9. ISSN 0018-8158. PMC 6394791. PMID 30880833.
7. Bradbeer, Stephanie J.; Harrington, Jack; Watson, Henry; Warraich, Abrahim; Shechonge, Asilatu; Smith, Alan; Tamatamah, Rashid; Ngatunga, Benjamin P.; Turner, George F.; Genner, Martin J. (1 April 2019). "Limited hybridization between introduced and Critically Endangered indigenous tilapia fishes in northern Tanzania". Hydrobiologia. 832 (1): 257–268. doi:10.1007/s10750-018-3572-5. hdl:1983/92db718c-a4e6-40f9-a62f-a3497d55dc9e. ISSN 1573-5117.