Singida tilapia

Oreochromis esculentus

Fish Carrying Eggs in Mouth from the Nile Basin

Tropical
Regional distribution
Freshwater fish
Africa
Fusiform
Medium
Tropical fish

Oreochromis esculentus, the Singida tilapia or Graham's tilapia, is a species of cichlid endemic to the Lake Victoria basin, including some of its satellite lakes such as Kyoga, in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Its common name refers to Lake Singida, but this population is the result of an introduction that happened in the 1950s. This fish was historically highly valued by local fishermen, who know it as ngege.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Cichlids and Allies
Family: Cichlidae
Genus: Oreochromis
Maximum length: 50 cm
Water: Freshwater
Body shape: fusiform
Distribution: Africa: Lake Victoria, Lake Nabugabo, Lakes Kyoga and Kwania, the Victoria Nile above the Murchison Falls, Malawa River and Lake Gangu (Ref. 5166 , 34290 ) in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya (Ref. 3 ); but now extirpated from the main lake body and the only natural remaining populations are those of satellite lakes (Ref. 118638 ). The species has been introduced into dams of the Lake Victoria catchment, as well as the Pangani catchment, Zigi River, Malagarazi River, Lake Rukwa, Wami River and the central Tanzania lakes surrounding Dodoma and Tabora (Ref. 118630 , 118638 ). Introductions in the Akagera lakes in Rwanda (Ref. 1739 , 54979 ) seem to have been based on erroneous tilapia identifications (Ref. 46152 ).
Conservation status: NTNear Threatened

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