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Lates niloticus  (Linnaeus, 1758)

Nile perch
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Native range | All suitable habitat
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Lates niloticus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Lates niloticus (Nile perch)
Lates niloticus
Picture by Admassu, D.


country information

Common names: [No common name]
Occurrence:
Salinity:
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
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Country Information:
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Latidae (Lates perches)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Main reference

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 58490); common length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34290); max. published weight: 200.0 kg (Ref. 3900)

Length at first maturity
Lm 74.3, range 53 - 85 cm

Environment

Freshwater; demersal; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - 60 m (Ref. 34290)

Climate / Range

Tropical, preferred ?; 27°N - 7°S

Distribution

Africa: widespread throughout the Nilo-Sudan region of Africa, occurring commonly in all major river basins including the Senegal, Niger, Volta, Chad (Ref. 81285) and Nile (Ref. 3636). Found almost everywhere in West Africa, except in Gambia (Ref. 81285). Also present in the Congo basin and lakes Albert, Turkana/Rudolph and Tana (Ref. 3636). Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-14. Diagnosis: mouth large and protrusible, lower jaw prominent; numerous villiform teeth present in jaws and on palate (Ref. 81285). Preorbital (Ref. 4967) and preopercle denticulate (Ref. 4967, 81285). A strong opercular spine present (Ref. 4967, 81285). Caudal fin rounded (Ref. 4967, 81285). Scales ctenoid, 54-74 along lateral line, followed by 6-8 pored scales on caudal-fin base; ceratobranchial (lower limb) of first gill arch with 12-14 gill rakers (Ref. 81285). Coloration: body uniformly silvery (Ref. 81285) or dark greyish-blue dorsally, greyish-silver on flank and ventrally (Ref. 34290). Fins greyish; interior of eye conspicuously yellowish; juveniles brownish with lighter marbling (Ref. 81285).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits channels, lakes and irrigation canals. Adults inhabit deep water, while juveniles are found in shallow water. Feeds on fish especially clupeids and Alestes (Ref. 13851); smaller fish also feed on larger crustaceans and insects. Juveniles are planktivorous (Ref. 28714). Threatened due to over harvesting (Ref. 58490). No length type given but assumed to be in TL. Maximum reported size of 180.0 cm corresponding to a weight of 164 kg in Lake Albert (Ref. 81285).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Threat to humans

  Potential pest



Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

More information

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Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
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References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
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Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
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Processing
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Speed
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Otoliths
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Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD50 = 0.5006 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.5   ±0.8 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.19; tm=2-3)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100)
Price category (Ref. 80766)
Unknown