Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) [I]—Nile tilapia; Mesht Nili

Taxonomy. Original description: Perca niloticus Linnaeus, 1758: 290 [Nile River; holotype:?NRM LP 10].—Syrian synonyms: Perca nilotica Linnaeus, 1758; Tilapia nilotica (Linnaeus, 1758); Chromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) .—Revisions: None.—Illustration: Ye in Pan et al. (1991: 416, fig. 248) as Tilapia nilotica, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde in Lévêque et al. (1992: 761, fig. 49.36).

Status in Syria. First record from Syria by El Bolock & Koura (1961); confirmed by Beckman (1962: 58 as Tilapia nilotica).—Syrian materials: MSL.

Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Syria: Beteha area.—Distribution in River Basin: 1-Dajleh & Khabour, 2- Euphrates & Aleppo, 3-Desert, 4-Orontes, 5-Barada & Awaj, 6-Coastal, 7-Al-Yarmouk.—General distribution: North Africa and East Africa. Widely introduced elsewhere.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 437-Orontes, 438- Jordan River, 440-Arabian Interior, 441-Lower Tigris & Euphrates, 442-Upper Tigris & Euphrates.—Habitat: This species inhabits a very wide range of flowing water habitats, from fast-flowing headwaters and reservoirs to polluted canals and large lowland rivers. It is the most environmentally tolerant of all tilapia species, tolerating lack of oxygen, pollution, salinity, etc. Low water temperatures (below 10–13 oC) limit its occurrence. Freshwater, brackish.

Economic importance. Commercially important.

Reasons of introduction. Aquaculture.

Conservation. Not relevant (introduced species).