The Tilapias of Lake Malawi

Oreochromis of the squamipinnis group, photo copyright © 1997 by M. K. Oliver

Note on the subgenera of Oreochromis: Except for Oreochromis shiranus, all L. Malawi Oreochromis species have been placed in the subgenus Nyasalapia Thys van den Audenaerde (1968), which also includes species not found in L. Malawi. Trewavas (1983: 28) identified the type species of this subgenus as Chromis squamipinnis Günther, 1864 [=Oreochromis squamipinnis], by original designation of Thys. However, according to Eschmeyer’s Catalog of the Genera of Recent Fishes, the name Nyasalapia is not available because it was published with no included species and no description. I have not yet checked Thys's publication to see whether Trewavas or Eschmeyer is correct. Therefore, provisionally, I have used this subgeneric name below but have enclosed it in quotation marks.