Oreochromis

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Oreochromis
Mozambique tilapia(Oreochromis mossambicus)
Mozambique tilapia
(Oreochromis mossambicus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe: Tilapiini
Genus: Oreochromis
Günther, 1889
Type species
Oreochromis hunteri
Günther, 1889
Species

Over 30 (but see text)

Oreochromis is a large genus of tilapiine cichlids, fishes endemic to Africa. Members of this genus, as well as those of the genera Tilapia and Sarotherodon, share the common name "tilapia".

The genus contains more than 30 species, and numerous undescribed forms exist. Judging from mtDNA sequence analysis, there seem to be several clades. In addition, some species (such as Oreochromis urolepis and the Blue tilapia O. aureus) seem closer to Sarotherodon according to the mtDNA data. Research is hampered by the fact that hybridization runs rampant in these fishes, which confounds mtDNA data (see discussion at Wami tilapia), and that the fast speed of evolution makes choice of appropriate nuclear DNA sequences difficult.(Nagl et al. 2001)

[edit] Species

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  • "Oreochromis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. October 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
  • Nagl, Sandra; Tichy, Herbert; Mayer, Werner E.; Samonte, Irene E.; McAndrew, Brendan J. & Klein, Jan (2001): Classification and Phylogenetic Relationships of African Tilapiine Fishes Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 20(3): 361–374. doi:10.1006/mpev.2001.0979