Description

Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 30 - 32. Breeding males black, in some with white or yellowish dorsal lappets. Testes broad, white and sinuous when fully ripe. Lower pharyngeal toothed area with concave sides; median length of bone 1.2-1.3 times its width and 35.5-39.2 % length of head; blade 1.3-2.1 times median length of toothed area. Caudal fin scaly.

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Cichliformes

Family: Cichlidae

Genus: Oreochromis

Species: Oreochromis saka (Lowe, 1953)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Occurs at a temperature range of 21.5-29.0 °C (Ref. 2). Inhabits very shallow and vegetated regions. Feeds on diatoms and debris collected from the bottom and from between vegetation (Ref. 5595).

Habitat

benthopelagic