Coptodon nigrans
Coptodon nigrans is a species of fish in the cichlid family. It is endemic to Lake Ejagham in western Cameroon. It was only scientifically described in 2010 and has therefore not been rated by the IUCN, but it likely faces the same risks as the critically endangered C. deckerti, which is threatened by pollution and sedimentation from human activities, a catfish from the genus Parauchenoglanis that has been introduced to the lake, and potentially also by large emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the lake's bottom (compare Lake Nyos),[2][3] although Ejagham is too shallow to contain very high amounts of this gas.[4]
| Coptodon nigrans | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Coptodon |
| Species: | C. nigrans |
| Binomial name | |
| Coptodon nigrans (Dunz & Schliewen, 2010) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Tilapia nigrans Dunz & Schliewen, 2010 | |
It reaches up to 15.3 cm (6 in) in standard length, and closely resembles the smaller C. deckerti.[1]
References
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Coptodon nigrans" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
- Moelants, T. (2010). "Tilapia deckerti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T21897A9337295. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T21897A9337295.en. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- Dunz, A. R., & Schliewen, U. K. (2010). Description of a Tilapia (Coptodon) species flock of Lake Ejagham (Cameroon), including a redescription of Tilapia deckerti Thys van den Audenaerde, 1967. Spixiana, 33(2): 251-280
- Freeth, S.J.; C.O. Ofoegbu; and K.M. Onuoha (1992). Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa, pp. 50—51. ISBN 978-3-663-05239-5