Coptodon zillii (Gervais)

Oladipo, Segun Olayinka, Everett, Amaya, Atofarati, Olabisi Tawakalit, Smith, Kennedy K., Nneji, Ifeanyi C., Adelakun, Kehinde Moruf & Nneji, Lotanna Micah, 2025, An updated ichthyofaunal checklist for the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon with notes on nomenclatural changes and the conservation status of species, Zootaxa 5646 (1), pp. 38-62 : 53

Coptodon zillii (Gervais) ;

Redbelly tilapia ( Figure 2J )

Remarks: Coptodon zillii was a common catch across all sampling locations during the study. This species is widely distributed in freshwater and brackish environments throughout West, Central, and Northern Africa. Coptodon zillii is characterized by a deep body, narrow head, and small but strong jaws. It displays a bright red belly and distinctive vertical barring along its body. Other synonyms for this species include Acerina zillii (Gervais) , Chromis andreae (Günther) , Chromis coeruleomaculatus (Rochebrune) , Chromis faidherbii (Rochebrune) , Chromis melanopleura (Duméril) , Chromis menzalensis (Mitchell) , Chromis tristrami (Günther) , Chromis zillii (Gervais, Coptodus zillei (Gervais) , Glyphisidon zillii (Gervais) , Haligenes tristrami (Günther) , Sarotherodon zillii (Gervais) , Tilapia caerulomaculatus (Rochebrune) , Tilapia faidherbi (Rochebrune) , Tilapia melanopleura (Duméril) , Tilapia menzalensis (Mitchell) , Tilapia multiradiata (Holly) , Tilapia shariensis (Fowler) , Tilapia sparrmani multiradiata (Holly) , Tilapia tristrami (Günther) , and Tilapia zillii (Gervais) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Representative pictures (A–L) of some newly collected fish species from the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon (A) Fontitrygon margaritella (Compagno & Roberts); (B) Strongylura senegalensis (Valenciennes); (C) Caranx fischeri (Smith- Vaniz & Carpenter); (D) Chloroscombrus chrysurus (Linnaeus); (E) Selene dorsalis (Gill); (F) Trachinotus falcatus (Linnaeus); (G) Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus); (H) Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier); (I) Marcusenius brucii (Boulenger); (J) Coptodon zillii (Gervais); (K) Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus); and (L) Citharinus citharus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire). Photo credit and Identification: Dr. S.O. Oladipo.