Oreochromis leucostictus

angļuDiagnosis: lower jaw not longer than 34% of the head, preorbital depth not more than 23.2%; teeth of jaws and pharynx very small, those of the lower pharyngeal restricted to the posterior part of the pad; 27-29 vertebrae (Ref. 2). 28-30 scales on lateral line (Ref. 2, 34290, 54836), rarely 31 or 32 (Ref. 2). 19-24 gill-rakers on lower part of first gill-arch (Ref. 34290, 54836). Length/depth ratio of caudal peduncle 0.5-0.8 (Ref. 34290). Body dark olive-green (Ref. 2, 4903, 34290) to slately-black (Ref. 4903, 34290), clearly marked with whitish spots (Ref. 2, 4903, 34290, 54836). Lower lip often bluish-white; 8 to 11(12) dark vertical stripes sometimes visible on flanks (Ref. 2, 4903, 34290). Dorsal, anal and caudal fins dark; soft dorsal, entire caudal and anal fins with well-defined bluish-white spots (Ref. 4903, 34290). Genital papilla intensely white in both sexes (Ref. 2). Ground color in breeding males changes to dark blue-black, whilst whitish spots on body and fins are intensified; eye outstanding with its bright amber iris crossed by a black bar (Ref. 2, 4903, 34290). Description: body moderately deep in very young fish, becoming slender and lozenge shaped with increase in length (Ref. 55020). Maxillary ending below nostril (Ref. 55985) or a little behind it, between nostril and eye (Ref. 55074, 55985). Teeth very small, in 3-6 series, outermost bicuspid, inner tricuspid (Ref. 2, 55985). 2 series of scales on cheek (Ref. 2, 55985), rarely 1 or 2 scales of a third series (Ref. 2). Lower pharyngeal bone slender, its width usually less than, occasionally equal to, its median length (Ref. 2). Pharyngeal teeth very fine and crowded (Ref. 2), restricted to the posterior part of the pad in adults (Ref. 2, 55985). Flanges on either side of the apex of the triangular area of the lower pharyngeal bone unusually broad; microbranchiospines on outer surfaces of second, third and fourth arches; 7 scales over top of caudal peduncle above lateral line (Ref. 2). Generally 4

• Tilapia leucosticta Trewavas, 1933
• Tilapia leucostica Trewavas, 1933
• Sarotherodon leucostictum (Trewavas, 1933)
• Sarotherodon leucostictus (Trewavas, 1933)
• Tilapia trewavasae Poll, 1939
• Sarotherodon leucosticta (Trewavas, 1933)
• Oreochromis leucostrictus (Trewavas, 1933)