Sarotherodon galilaeus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 797

Sarotherodon galilaeus

Common name. Mango tilapia.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Cichlidae in West Asia by: ● anterior processes of lower pharyngeal bone not or very slightly projecting beyond anterior margin of toothed pads / ○ flank scales without dark-grey scale pockets in preserved individuals, isolated black scales pockets, or fields of black scale pockets in some individuals / ○ nuptial male pale-grey or pinkish white without white spots or vermiculation on flank / ○ no red or orange colour in life / ○ often with black bars on flank / ○ caudal almost without pattern / ○ chest, belly, and isthmus in front of pelvic covered by small scales / ○ 20–27 gill rakers on lower part of first branchial arch / ○ chest never red / ○ 3 anal spines / ○ scales cycloid / ○ no ocelli on anal. Size up to 320 mm SL.

Distribution. Native to Jordan drainage and coastal rivers Yarkon, Kishon, and Na’aman in Israel. Introduced in Orontes and Syrian part of Euphrates. Native to Congo, Nile drainage including Lakes Albert and Turkana. Also in Lake Chad basin, Borkou in Chad, Ubangui and Ulele, Adar in Mauritania, and West African rivers from Senegal to Guinea, Volta, Niger, and rivers between them and Sanaga in Cameroon.

Habitat. Slow-flowing rivers, backwaters, lakes, and coastal lagoons. Often pelagic and very common in reservoirs. Can live in brackish water to at least 20 ‰. Cannot survive if water temperature falls below 10°C for over a few days.

Biology. Live up to 7 years. Usually matures after second winter at about 130–220 mm SL. Sexually monomorphic male over 2 years with slightly larger and longer unbranched dorsal and anal rays. Pairs for a few days to 2 weeks before spawning. Spawns in Lake Kinneret late March–August, each female usually produces two or more clutches. Pair digs a

Tristramella sacra ; Lake Kinneret, Israel; modified from Lortet 1876.

shallow nest. Eggs are laid in batches of 20–40, each batch fertilised by male as it is laid. Eggs remain in nest in clutches. In undisturbed conditions, all eggs laid in nest are taken into mouth by male, female, or both parents after hatching. If predators are present, each batch is taken immediately after fertilisation. Pair bond is broken after spawning. Commitment to brood care by males depends on availability of mature females. Parents release fry after about 14 days and usually do not care for them. Feeds mainly on phytoplankton, including cyanobacteria, epiphytic algae, and detritus.

Conservation status. LC; massively stocked in Lake Kinneret for commercial fisheries.

Remarks. Reports from the Oued Draa drainage in southern Morocco are based on misidentified O. aureus .

Further reading. Trewavas 1983 (description, biology); Goren & Ortal 1999 (distribution).