Species: Sarotherodon melanotheron, Blackchin Tilapia

Sarotherodon melanotheron Ruppell, 1852

Blackchin Tilapia

Body an elongate oblong; wide between the eyes; 1 pair of nostrils; mouth small, not reaching under eye; top jaw highly protrusible; teeth fine, close set, in 3-6 rows on jaws, with spoon-shaped points, outer row readily movable, outer row of top jaw 46-100 2-pointed teeth, inner jaw teeth 3-pointed; toothed throat apparatus: lower plate distinctly longer than wide, bottom keel considerably longer than depth of triangular toothed surface, with fine teeth, those with 2 points; gill rakers simple, very small, lower rakers 12-19; intestine long and coiled, at least 4x SL; one dorsal fin XV-XVII, without a notch between spines and rays, 10-12; anal fin III, 8-10; lateral line in 2 straight overlapping sections, with ~27-29 large scales; scales between pectoral and pelvic fins grade gradually in size with slightly larger flank scales; genital papilla of both sexes small and simple.

Ground color pale blue; each scale with a darker or gold spot on its base; several rows of scales on back are iridescent yellow; adults with lower head black, irregular black spots on rest of head, on edge of gill cover, and a few on flanks; black edge to dorsal, anal and tail fins, females with translucent gill cover; large males with metallic gold blotch gill cover, black underside of head, often black bars on side; juveniles with spot at base of front dorsal fin soft rays.

Reaches 35 cm.

Mainly in estuaries and lagoons, mangroves, in fresh to salt water; forms schools, mainly nocturnal; form pairs for the duration of the breeding cycle, when males brood eggs in the mouth.

Depth: 0-50 m.

A W African species introduced to the southern USA and Puerto Rico.