Fish species distribution, with emphasis on haplochromine cichlids, in different habitats of the Ugandan portion of Lake Victoria

Study Extent

The study covered parts of the Northern Lake Victoria, Uganda, between April and August 2017.

Sampling

Bottom trawling and gillnetting were carried out at selected stations, with varying habitat characteristics, in 2017 using the research vessel R.V. Hammerkop and graded monofilament/multifilament nets, respectively. For the bottom trawling, hauls of 30 minutes duration were taken using a 25.4 mm cod-end stretched mesh trawl net in the various grids (see LVFO 2007 for standard operating procedures), towed at 3.4 knots. For gillnetting, two fleets of graded monofilament gillnets of mesh size 0.75”, 1.00”, 1.25”, 1.50” and 2.00” were soaked and retrieved at 30 minute to two hour intervals. On retrieval, fish were removed according to mesh size, separated into labelled buckets filled with water and transported back to the shore or research vessel (for the trawl survey) for further processing.
At the shore or aboard the research vessel, identical fish species in each bucket were lumped together. Photographs of live specimens were taken using a digital camera. The left side of each live fish was photographed inside a photo cuvette that had a colour bar and label attached to its background using masking tape and was filled with water (up to ¾ of total volume). The rare and unique species were photographed first before the other specimens in the rest of the catch. After taking the photographs, the fish specimens were euthanized using a solution of MS-222 or clove oil, tagged, and fin clips and tissue samples obtained for genetics and stable isotopes respectively. For DNA samples, fin clips were obtained from the right pectoral fin of individuals of unidentified fish species and placed into plastic vials filled with 99% ethanol solution, and sent to Switzerland (Eawag) for full genome sequencing and further identification. Fish species that could not be identified to species level were given cheironyms.

Method steps

1. Photos were taken to facilitate identification of fish specimens, and identification of fish was done by an expert (Ole Seehausen) with over 30 years’ experience in taxonomy of Lake Victoria fishes, especially haplochromine cichlids .

Haplochromine cichlids, and other few fish taxa from Lake Victoria, Uganda

1. Astatoreochromis alluaudi
   rank: species
2. Astatotilapia
   rank: genus
3. Astatotilapia barbarae
   rank: species
4. Bagrus docmak
   rank: species
5. Brycinus jacksonii
   rank: species
6. Brycinus sadleri
   rank: species
7. Clarias gariepinus
   rank: species
8. Coptodon zillii
   rank: species
9. Enterochromis
   rank: genus
10. Enterochromis antleter
    rank: species
11. Enterochromis bicolor
    rank: species
12. Enterochromis cinctus
    rank: species
13. Enterochromis coprologus
    rank: species
14. Enterochromis katunzii
    rank: species
15. Enterochromis paropius
    rank: species
16. Enteromius perince
    rank: species
17. Gaurochromis
    rank: genus
18. Gaurochromis empodisma
    rank: species
19. Gnathonemus longibarbis
    rank: species
20. Gnathonemus victoriae
    rank: species
21. Haplochromis
    rank: genus
22. Haplochromis
    rank: genus
23. Haplochromis lividus
    rank: species
24. Haplochromis ishmaeli
    rank: species
25. Harpagochromis
    rank: genus
26. Harpagochromis altigens
    rank: species
27. Harpagochromis cavifrons
    rank: species
28. Harpagochromis howesi
    rank: species
29. Harpagochromis pachycephalus
    rank: species
30. Harpagochromis serranus
    rank: species
31. Harpagochromis thereuterion
    rank: species
32. Hippopotamyrus grahami
    rank: species
33. Labeo victorianus
    rank: species
34. Labeobarbus altianalis
    rank: species
35. Labrochromis
    rank: genus
36. Lates niloticus
    rank: species
37. Lipochromis
    rank: genus
38. Lithochromis
    rank: genus
39. Mastacembelus frenatus
    rank: species
40. Mbipia
    rank: genus
41. Mbipia mbipi
    rank: species
42. Momyrus kannume
    rank: species
43. Neochromis
    rank: genus
44. Neochromis greenwoodi
    rank: species
45. Neochromis/mbipia
    rank: genus
46. Oreochromis leucostictus
    rank: species
47. Oreochromis niloticus
    rank: species
48. Paralabidochromis
    rank: genus
49. Paralabidochromis flavus
    rank: species
50. Paralabidochromis suavagei
    rank: species
51. Paralabidochromis chilotes
    rank: species
52. Paralabidochromis victoriae
    rank: species
53. Paralabidochromis/Labrochromis
    rank: genus
54. Platytaeniodus
    rank: genus
55. Prognathochromis
    rank: genus
56. Prognathochromis
    rank: genus
57. Prognathochromis dentex
    rank: species
58. Prognathochromis perrieri
    rank: species
59. Protopterus aethiopicus
    rank: species
60. Psammochromis
    rank: genus
61. Psammochromis aelocephalus
    rank: species
62. Psammochromis riponianus
    rank: species
63. Ptyochromis
    rank: genus
64. Ptyochromis fischeri
    rank: species
65. Ptyochromis xenognathus
    rank: species
66. Pundamilia
    rank: genus
67. Pundamilia azurea
    rank: species
68. Pundamilia igneopinnis
    rank: species
69. Pundamilia macrocephala
    rank: species
70. Pundamilia pundamilia
    rank: species
71. Rastrineobola argentea
    rank: species
72. Schilbe intermedius
    rank: species
73. Synodontis afrofischeri
    rank: species
74. Synodontis victoriae
    rank: species
75. Yssichromis
    rank: genus
76. Yssichromis
    rank: genus
77. Yssichromis argens
    rank: species
78. Yssichromis fusiformis
    rank: species
79. Yssichromis heusinkveldi
    rank: species
80. Yssichromis laparogramma
    rank: species
81. Yssichromis pyrrhocephalus
    rank: species

Lake Victoria, Uganda