Vie et Milieu

  • Full Screen
  • Wide Screen
  • Narrow Screen
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size

Article 3

The distribution and systematic status of cichlid fishes (Teleostei, Cichliformes: Cichlidae) from Morocco

pdf.png
File Size:
1 MB

H. LOUIZI1, J.-F. AGNESE2, A. R. BITJA NYOM3, I. DE BURON4, O. BERRADA RKHAMI1, A. BENHOUSSA1, A. QNINBA5, A. PARISELLE1,2*
1 Laboratory Biodiversity, Ecology and Genome, Research Center Plant and Microbial Biotechnology, Biodiversity and Environment, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Faculty of Sciences, Morocco
2 ISEM , CNR S, Université de Montpellier, IRD , EPHE, Montpellier, France
3 University of Douala, Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, PO Box 7236 Douala, Cameroon
4 Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
5 Mohammed V University in Rabat, Institut Scientifique, Avenue Ibn Battouta, B.P. 703, 10090, Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
* Corresponding author: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it " data-mce-href="mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
ABSTRACT. – Cichlids in Morocco are relict populations of the fauna that was extant during the last glacial episodes. In recent millennia, these fishes underwent numerous bottleneck episodes that led to a significant reduction in their numbers. While the literature reports the presence of three (3) genera (Oreochromis, Coptodon, Sarotherodon) and four (4) species (O. aureus, C. guineensis, C. zillii, S. galilaeus) in Morocco, an intensive search for these fishes throughout this country and a thorough genetic and morphometric study in fact revealed the presence of only two (2) genera (Oreochromis, Coptodon) and four (4) species: three (3) native (O. aureus, C. guineensis, C. zillii) and one (1) introduced (O. niloticus). Sarotherodon galilaeus was not found, even in the watershed from which it was originally reported. Species encountered were identified morphologically and their identification was confirmed genetically (ND2/COI). For O. niloticus, we found two haplotypes with a difference of 7.5 % between Oued Sebou and Oued Bouregreg watersheds. For C. guineensis sampled in Oued Aabar and Sebkha Imlili, a taxonomic incongruence occurred on the basis of significant differences between seventeen (17) of the thirty-seven (37) morphometric characters studied (including dentition).

You are here: Volume 69 (2019) Issues 2 / 3 Article 3
Vie et Milieu
Observatoire Océanologique - Laboratoire Arago - Sorbonne Université
66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer - France
Email: vimilieu@obs-banyuls.fr

Managing Editor
Franck Lartaud
Phone: (33) (0)4 30 19 24 52
Email: franck.lartaud@obs-banyuls.fr

Editorial Secretary
Véronique Arnaud
Phone: (33) (0)4 68 88 73 29 (morning)
Email: editionvm@obs-banyuls.fr