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| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
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Common Name: longfin tilapia
Synonyms and Other Names: greenhead bream, greenhead tilapia.
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: A commonly used name is Tilapia macrochir. Distinguishing characteristics, a key, and illustrations were given by Trewavas (1983a), and by Skelton (1993). Distinguishing characteristics and a figure also were given by Eccles (1992). Color photographs of fish were given by Axelrod (1993). Maximum size: 40 cm (Skelton 1993).
Size: 40 cm (Skelton 1993).
Native Range: Africa. Sections of south central Africa including Cunene, Okavango, upper Zambezi and Kafue rivers (Trewavas 1983a; Skelton 1993).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: The species is established in reservoir or pond habitats on Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii, Hawaii; it was first released ca. 1957 or 1958 (Morita 1981; Maciolek 1984; Devick 1991a). This species was reported as common or abundant in Wahiawa Reservoir (= Lake Wilson) on Oahu (Hida and Thomson 1962; Devick 1972). This species has also been collected in the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site (Tilmant 1999).
Means of Introduction: Fish apparently were bred in captivity before being released into the wild, ca. 1958 (Maciolek 1984); this was considered a deliberate introduction (Devick 1991a).
Status: Established in Hawaii.
Impact of Introduction: The overabundance of tilapias in at least one Hawaiian reservoir has possibly had the effect of suppressing production of desirable sport fishes (Devick 1972).
Remarks: Oreochromis macrochir has been replaced by Sarotherodon melanotheron as the second most abundant tilapia (after O. mossambicus?) in many Oahu reservoirs (Devick 1991b). This tilapia species has been widely introduced into Africa and other parts of the world for use in aquaculture (Trewavas 1983a; Axelrod 1993; Skelton 1993). In Hawaii, O. macrochir is reported as possibly hybridizing with O. mossambicus (Devick 1972).
Axelrod, H. R. 1993. The most complete colored lexicon of cichlids. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.
Devick, W. S. 1972. Population densities of tilapia in Wahiawa Reservoir. Project F-9-2, Job 1, Study V. Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. 8 pp.
Devick, W. S. 1991a. Disturbances and fluctuations in the Wahiawa Reservoir ecosystem. Project F-14-R-15, Job 4, Study I. Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. 21 pp.
Eccles, D. H. 1992. FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes: field guide to the freshwater fishes of Tanzania. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy. 145 pp.
Hida, T. S., and D. A. Thomson. 1962. Introduction of the threadfin shad to Hawaii. Progressive Fish-Culturist 24:159-163.
Maciolek, J. A. 1984. Exotic fishes in Hawaii and other islands of Oceania. Pages 131-161 in W. R. Courtenay, Jr., and J. R. Stauffer, Jr., editors. Distribution, biology, and management of exotic fishes. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
Morita, C. M. 1981. Freshwater fishing in Hawaii. Division of Aquatic Resources, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu, HI. 21 pp.
Skelton, P. H. 1993. A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa. Southern Book Publishers, Halfway House, South Africa.
Trewavas, E. 1983a. Tialpine fishes of the genera Sarotherodon, Oreochromis and Danakilia. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
Tilmant, J.T. 1999. Management of nonindigenous aquatic fish in the U.S. National Park System. National Park Service. 50 pp.
Other Resources:
FishBase Fact Sheet
Author: Leo Nico
Revision Date: 7/28/2004 Citation for this information:
Leo Nico. 2009. Oreochromis macrochir. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=465> Revision Date: 7/28/2004
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