Coptodon is a
genus of
cichlids native to fresh,
brackish and coastal marine waters in Africa with C. zillii also found in the Middle East. It is the only genus in the
tribeCoptodonini. Formerly included in Tilapia, this genus and tribe was separated in 2013.[1] Despite the change in genus, Coptodon spp. are still referred to by the common name
tilapia. Several species are important in local fisheries and a few are
aquacultured.[2]
Appearance
Depending on the exact species, the maximum length of Coptodon ranges from 5 to 45 cm (2–18 in); the smallest is C. snyderae, which also is the smallest tilapia.[3] Although the individual species typically have different nonbreeding and breeding colors, the sexes are alike. Some of the species are very similar and difficult to distinguish from each other.[2][4]
Behavior
Unlike the well-known
oreochromine tilapia that are
mouthbrooders, Coptodon spp. are substrate brooders. In most species, the parents excavate a "nest" in the bottom, ranging from a depression to actual tunnels, but a few species use surfaces of stones or sunken wood. The eggs are laid in the nest, and the eggs and
fry are guarded by both parents.[2][4]
Coptodon spp. mostly feed on plant material (both
phytoplankton and
higher plants) and
detritus with smaller quantities of invertebrates, but in
Lake Bermin and
Lake Ejagham, a level of segregation has occurred among the species, including specialists that mostly feed on
sponges (C. gutturosa and C. spongotroktis), small fish (C. ejagham), or
zooplankton (C. fusiforme).[2][4]
Conservation status
C. rendalli and C. zillii have been
introduced widely outside their native ranges, and are considered
invasive, but most remaining members of the genus (including four
endemics in Lake Ejagham and nine in Lake Bermin) have small ranges, and many species are seriously threatened.[1][2][4] Considered
data deficient by the
IUCN, the virtually unknown C. ismailiaensis may be
synonym of the equally poorly known Oreochromis ismailiaensis,[5] or the widespread and common C. zillii.[6] Regardless, the only known habitat of C. ismailiaensis (and Oreochromis ismailiaensis) in Egypt appears to have disappeared entirely.[7]
Species
Currently, 31 species are recognized in this genus:[1][3]
^
abcDunz, A.R. & Schliewen, U.K. (2013): Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as “Tilapia”. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Available online 29 March 2013 doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.015
^
abcdefgDunz, A.R.; U.K. Schliewen (2010). "Description of a Tilapia (Coptodon) species flock of Lake Ejagham (Cameroon), including a redescription of Tilapia deckerti Thys van den Audenaerde, 1967". Spixiana. 33 (2): 251–280.
^Neumann, D.; H. Obermaier; T. Moritz (2016). "Annotated checklist for fishes of the Main Nile Basin in the Sudan and Egypt based on recent specimen records (2006-2015)". Cybium. 40 (4): 287–317.
doi:
10.26028/cybium/2016-404-004.
^Ford, A.G.P.; et al. (2019). "Molecular phylogeny of Oreochromis (Cichlidae: Oreochromini) reveals mito-nuclear discordance and multiple colonisation of adverse aquatic environments". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 136: 215–226.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2019.04.008.