According to a widely held view, the more than 300 species of haplochromine cichlid fishes
in Lake Victoria (LV), East Africa, originated from a single founder species in less than
12000 years. This view, however, does not follow from the published geological and molecular
evidence. The former does indeed suggest that the LV basin dried out less than 15000 years
ago, but it does not provide any information about the species that re-colonized the new lake
or that remained in the rivers draining the area. The molecular evidence is inconclusive with
respect to the origin of the LV haplochromines because cichlids from critical regions around
LV were not adequately sampled; and as far as the age of the LV haplochromines is concerned,
it in fact led to an estimate of 250 000-750 000 years old. In the present study, mitochondrial
DNA (control region) variation was determined by heteroduplex and sequencing analyses of more
than 670 specimens collected at widely distributed East African riverine and lacustrine
localities. The analyses revealed the existence of seven haplogroups (I-VII) distinguishable
by characteristic substitutions. All endemic LV samples tested fell into one of these
haplogroups (V) which, however, was also found to be present at various other localities,
both riverine and lacustrine, outside LV. Within this haplogroup, four subgroups (VA through
VD) could be distinguished, two of which (VB and VC) were represented in LV and at other
localities. The great majority of the LV haplochromine species could be classified as belonging
to the VC subgroup, which was found only in LV and in the rivers draining into it. Hence, while
the endemic haplochromine species of LV could not have originated from a single founding
population, the lake does harbour a large species flock which probably arose in situ.