Heterotilapia is a genus of cichlid fish that are native to rivers from Guinea-Bissau to Liberia in tropical West Africa. Formerly considered a subgenus of Tilapia, in 2013, it was elevated to genus rank.[1] They are medium-large cichlids, up to about 20–30 cm (8–12 in) in standard length depending on the species, and with a distinctive dark-and-light banded pattern. They are substrate spawners and brooders (not mouthbrooders as some other tilapias). H. buttikoferi is a common species that also has been introduced outside its native range, but H. cessiana is highly localized and critically endangered.[1][2]
| Heterotilapia | |
|---|---|
| |
| T. buttikoferi | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| Tribe: | Heterotilapini Dunz & Schliewen, 2013 |
| Genus: | Heterotilapia Regan, 1920 |
| Type species | |
| Chromis buttikoferi Hubrecht, 1881
| |
Species edit
Two recognized species are in this genus:[1][2]
- Heterotilapia buttikoferi (Hubrecht, 1881) (zebra tilapia)
- Heterotilapia cessiana (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1968)
References edit
- ^ a b c Dunz, A.R.; U.K. Schliewen (2013). "Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as "Tilapia"". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 68 (1): 64–80. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.015.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). Species of Heterotilapia in FishBase. November 2019 version.
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