Taxonomy, common names and distribution of fish in the eastern arm of the Rift Valley drainage, Kenya.
This paper attempts to update information on scientific and recommended English common names and the distribution of fish species of Kenya occurring in the Eastern Arm of the Rift Valley drainage system. At least 20 fish families from 35 genera and 66 species occur in the drainage system, with Lake Turkana catchment having the richest species diversity at 50 (76%). Five (8 %) fish species have been introduced into the drainage, mostly for commercial purposes and sports, viz: in Lake Naivasha, largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides; blue spotted tilapia, Oreochromis leucostictus; Athi River tilapia, Oreochromis spilurus niger; Zillii’s tilapia, Tilapia zillii; and in Lake Nakuru, a species tolerant to high salinities, the Lake Magadi tilapia, Oreochromis alcalicus grahami. These introductions may have caused, e.g., the extinction of the Naivasha lampeye, Aplocheilichthys sp. from Lake Naivasha. Most fishes occurring in the drainage are at times capable of living in both lacustrine as well as riverine conditions, except three (5 %), which tend to be entirely riverine. Two minnows, (i) Loveridge’s barb, Barbus loveridgii occurs in Amala River, an affluent of Lake Baringo; and (ii) Newmayer’s barb, Barbus neumayeri is spread out in several rivers, i.e., Suam in Mount Elgon, Subukia in the Lake Bogoria catchment, Seya in Isiolo district, Sinet near Loitoktok, Waseges in the Lake Bogoria catchment, and Kerio affluent in the Lake Turkana catchment. One cichlid, the Suguta tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus sugutae occurs in Suguta River and its tributaries. The exact distribution in northern Kenya of the Ethiopian barb, Barbus intermedius intermedius is lacking. Notes are included for selected fish species to clarify and to correct erroneous information occurring in the literature.
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| Format: | Report Section biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Commission
2004
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| Subjects: | Taxonomy, Geographical distribution, Biodiversity, Check lists, Freshwater fish, Inland fisheries, Lake fisheries, Micropterus salmoides, Oreochromis leucostictus, Oreochromis spilurus, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/7187 |
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