Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Home Research Hub dataZone Galapagos Species Database

Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters, 1852)

tilapia de Mozambique, Mozambique tilapia

Oreochromis mossambicus (Mozambique tilapia) is a highly invasive cichlid that was illegally introduced to the freshwater crater lake El Junco on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos. It was erradicated

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Chordata

Class
Teleostei

Order
Cichliformes

Family
Cichlidae

Genus
Oreochromis

Species
mossambicus

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Status

IUCN Red List Category: Not evaluated

Introduction

Year of first record: 2006

Mode of introduction: Intentional

Introduced status: Eradicated

Invasive status: No data

Distribution

Distribution: San Cristóbal

References

  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Oreochromis mossambicus", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=12774. Accessed 16 October 2026.