Lake Bermin

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Lake Bermin
Coordinates 5°09′30″N 9°38′0″E / 5.15833°N 9.63333°E / 5.15833; 9.63333Coordinates: 5°09′30″N 9°38′0″E / 5.15833°N 9.63333°E / 5.15833; 9.63333
Type Crater lake
Primary inflows None
Primary outflows Cross River system
Basin countries Cameroon
Surface area 144 acres (0.58 km2)[1]

Lake Bermin (sometimes spelled Bemin) is a small lake in the volcanic chain in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. It is a volcanic lake with a crater rim that rises to a height of about 150 feet (46 m).[1] This highly isolated lake is roughly circular in shape, lacks an inflow, but has an outflow into the Cross River system.[2]

Despite its very small size, it supports 9 endemic species of tilapiine cichlid fishes (C. bakossiorum, C. bemini, C. bythobates, C. flava, C. gutturosa, C. imbriferna, C. snyderae, C. spongotroktis, and C. thysi).[1] This number of endemic fishes per area is the highest recorded anywhere.[3] Genetic evidence suggests that these probably were the result of sympatric speciation.[2] All are critically endangered by pollution and sedimentation from human activities, and potentially also by large emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the lake's bottom (compare Lake Nyos).[4][5][6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dickinson, C. (2005). The Tilapia of Lake Bernin, Cameroon. Modern Aquarium -Greater City A.S. (NY): 15-16
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Schliewen, U.K., Tautz, D., and Pääbo, S. (1994). Sympatric speciation suggested by monophyly of crater lake cichlids. Nature 368(6472): 629-632.
  3. ↑ Freshwater Ecoregions of the World (2008). Western Equatorial Crater Lakes.
  4. ↑ Moelants, T. (2009). "Tilapia bakossiorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  5. ↑ Moelants, T. (2009). "Tilapia gutturosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
  6. ↑ Moelants, T. (2009). "Tilapia thysi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
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