Tilapia zillii (Gervais, 1848)

Redbelly tilapia

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Actinopterygii \| Perciformes \| Cichlidae \| Pseudocrenilabrinae
Synonyms	Acerina zillii, Chromis zillii, Coptodon zillii, ... more
Common names	Zill's tilapia, Zille's cichlid, Cichlid, ... more

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Image of Tilapia zillii (Redbelly tilapia)

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Main reference

Teugels, G.G. and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde. 1991. (Ref. 5163)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator : Kullander, Sven O. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 40.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34290); common length : 30.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34290); max. published weight: 300 g (Ref. 3799); max. reported age: 7 years (Ref. 164)

Environment

Benthopelagic; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; pH range: 6.0 - 9.0; dH range: 5 - 20; depth range 1 - 7 m (Ref. 4967)

Climate / Range

Tropical; 11°C - 36°C (Ref. 3); 35°N - 10°S

Africa and Eurasia: South Morocco, Sahara, Niger-Benue system, rivers Senegal, Sassandra, Bandama, Boubo, Mé, Comoé, Bia, Ogun and Oshun, Volta system, Chad-Shari system, Ubangi-Uele-Ituri Rivers (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Lakes Mobutu and Turkana, Nile system and the Jordan system. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Diagnosis: upper profile of head not convex; lower pharyngeal bone about as long as broad, and with anterior lamella shorter than toothed area; median pharyngeal teeth not broadened; dorsal fin with 14-16 spines and 10-14 soft rays (mean 15, 12); 8-11 lower gillrakers; dark longitudinal band appears on flanks when agitated; no bifurcated dark vertical bars on flanks; dorsal and caudal fins not or feebly blotched (Ref. 53405). Body brownish-olivaceous with an iridescent blue sheen; lips bright green (Ref. 34290, 53405). Chest pinkish (Ref. 34290). Dorsal, caudal and anal fins brownish-olivaceous with yellow spots, dorsal and anal fins outlined by narrow orange band; "tilapian" spot large, extending from last spine to 4th soft ray and always bordered by yellow band (Ref. 34290, 53405). Specimens 2-14 cm SL with completely yellowish or greyish caudal fin without dots, but tend to develop a greyish caudal fin with dots of increasing size during development; above 14 cm SL, this species has greyish caudal fins with dots on entire caudal fin (Ref. 57660). Description: body rather deep, its depth about 55% of standard length; head profile straight, slightly oblique; outer jaw teeth bicuspid and non-spatulate, inner jaw teeth and posterior pharyngeal teeth tricuspid; micro-gillrakers present; scales cycloid (Ref. 53405). Coloration: in life: ground colour brownish-olicaveous (Ref. 34290, 53405) with iridescent reflections on scales (Ref. 53405). Back and sides with 7-10 darker cross bars and dark longitudinal band at level of lower lateral line; second longitudinal band sometimes present along upper lateral line (Ref. 53405). Lips pale green (Ref. 34290, 53405). Dorsal, anal and caudal fins brownish-olivaceous and yellow-spotted; dorsal and anal fins often edged with orange (Ref. 34290, 53405). Iridescent green spots on head in sexually mature individuals (Ref. 53405). "Tilapian" spot large, extending from last spine to 4th soft ray and always bordered by yellow band (Ref. 34290, 53405). Opercular spot very distinct; caudal fin with an irregular network of darker lines; in fingerlings, black spots on dorsal and anal fins orange and caudal fin appears as vertically striped (Ref. 53405).

Occasionally form schools; mainly diurnal. Prefer shallow, vegetated areas (Ref. 4967). Fry are common in marginal vegetation and juveniles are found in the seasonal floodplain. Herbivorous, feed on water plants and epiphyton, and some invertebrates. Substrate spawner (Ref. 28714). Larvae develop in close association with substrate. Extended temperature range 6.5 - 42.5 °C, natural temperature range 10.5 - 36°C (Ref. 3).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Not Evaluated	Potential pest

Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

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Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.2-0.5; tm=2-3; tmax=7)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100)	Not marketed/unknown

Entered by Luna, Susan M.

Modified by Ortañez, Auda Kareen

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