Oreochromini is a

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this ...

s in the

Pseudocrenilabrinae The Pseudocrenilabrinae are a subfamily in the cichlid family of fishes to which, according to a study from 2004, includes all the Middle Eastern and African cichlids with the exception of the unusual '' Heterochromis multidens'' and the Malag ...

subfamily that is native to Africa and

Western Asia Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...

, but a few species have been widely introduced to other parts of the world. It was formerly considered to be part of the tribe Tilapini but more recent workers have found that the Tilapini ''

sensu lato ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

'' is

paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...

. Despite this change, species in Oreochromini are still referred to by the common name

tilapia Tilapia ( ) is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the coelotilapine, coptodonine, heterotilapine, oreochromine, pelmatolapiine, and tilapiine tribes (formerly all were "Tilapiini"), with the economically most ...

and some of the most important

tilapia in aquaculture Tilapia has become the third most important fish in aquaculture after carp and salmon; worldwide production exceeded in 2002 and increases annually. Because of their high protein content, large size, rapid growth (6 to 7 months to grow to harves ...

—certain species of ''

Oreochromis ''Oreochromis'' is a large genus of oreochromine cichlids, fishes endemic to Africa and the Middle East. A few species from this genus have been introduced far outside their native range and are important in aquaculture. Many others have very ...

'' and ''

Sarotherodon ''Sarotherodon'' is a genus of oreochromine cichlids that are native to the northern half of Africa (south as far as the Congo River basin), with a single species, ''S. galilaeus'', also ranging into the Levant. A couple of species from this ge ...

''— are part of this tribe. In contrast, several species have small ranges and are seriously threatened; a few are already

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

('' Tristramella sacra'') or possibly extinct (''

Oreochromis ismailiaensis ''Oreochromis'' is a large genus of Oreochromini, oreochromine cichlids, fishes Endemism, endemic to Africa and the Middle East. A few species from this genus have been Introduced species, introduced far outside their native range and are import ...

'' and '' O. lidole''). Cichlids in the tribe ''Oreochromini'' are

mouthbrooder Mouthbrooding, also known as oral incubation and buccal incubation, is the care given by some groups of animals to their offspring by holding them in the mouth of the parent for extended periods of time. Although mouthbrooding is performed by a va ...

s, carrying the eggs and fry in their mouths instead of placing them in a nest. The numerous ''Oreochromis'' species are maternal mouthbrooders, meaning only the female looks after the eggs and fry, with the male offering no protection or help at all. Instead, they form

leks A lek is an aggregation of male animals gathered to engage in competitive displays and courtship rituals, known as lekking, to entice visiting females which are surveying prospective partners with which to mate. A lek can also indicate an avail ...

where they compete with one another for further opportunities to mate with females. By contrast, most of the fewer ''Sarotherodon'' species are biparental mouthbrooders, with both parents protecting the eggs and fry. A few, such as '' S. melanotheron'', are paternal mouthbrooders, with only the male caring for the eggs and fry. In addition, some species usually placed in ''Oreochromis'' might belong into ''Sarotherodon''. Either this is incorrect due to hybridization effects, or they are not maternal mouthbrooders, or the diversity of brood care is even higher among these cichlids than hitherto believed.

Genera

The following genera are classified within the Oreochromini: * ''

Alcolapia ''Alcolapia'' is a genus of small fishes in the family Cichlidae. Their native range is restricted to margins of Lake Natron and Lake Magadi, as well as similar conditions in nearby hot springs, in Kenya and Tanzania. They live in waters that are ...

'' Thys van den Audenaerde, 1969 * ''

Danakilia ''Danakilia'' is a genus of cichlids native to northeastern Africa where they are only known from saline lakes, rivers and creeks in the Danakil Depression of Ethiopia and Eritrea. There are two formally described species, along with three undesc ...

'' Thys van den Audenaerde, 1969 * ''

Iranocichla ''Iranocichla'' is a genus of fish in the family Cichlidae found in fresh and brackish waters in southern Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bo ...

'' Coad, 1982 * '' Konia'' Trewavas, 1972 * ''

Myaka The myaka (''Myaka myaka'') is a critically endangered species of cichlid endemic to Lake Barombi Mbo in western Cameroon. It prefers open, deeper waters where it feeds on phytoplankton and small insects, only venturing into shallower waters to ...

'' Trewavas, 1972 * ''

'' Günther, 1889 * ''

Pungu The pungu (''Pungu maclareni'') is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Barombi Mbo in Cameroon where it prefers shallow waters of about in depth. It feeds on invertebrates, sponges, diatoms and macrophytes. This species can reach a length of ...

'' Trewavas, 1972 * ''

'' Rüppell, 1852 * ''

Stomatepia ''Stomatepia'' is a genus of cichlids endemic to Lake Barombi Mbo in western Cameroon. Although generally recognized as distinct, the genus is very close to ''Sarotherodon''. The ''Stomatepia'' species are all recognized as critically endangere ...

'' Trewavas, 1962 * '' Tristramella'' Trewavas, 1942

References

{{Taxonbar, From=Q15837688 Pseudocrenilabrinae Fish tribes