Alcolapia
Encyclopedia
Alcolapia is a genus of fishes in the Cichlidae family. Their native range is largely restricted to the hypersaline
, warm Lake Natron
and Lake Magadi
in Kenya
and Tanzania
, although two species also have been introduced
to Lake Nakuru
.
Hypersaline lake
A hypersaline lake is a landlocked body of water that contains significant concentrations of sodium chloride or other mineral salts, with saline levels surpassing that of ocean water . Specific microbial and crustacean species thrive in these high salinity environments that are otherwise...
, warm Lake Natron
Lake Natron
Lake Natron is a salt lake located in northern Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border, in the eastern branch of Africa's Great Rift Valley. The lake is fed by the Ewaso Ng'iro River but also by mineral-rich hot springs and is quite shallow, less than three meters deep, and varies in width depending...
and Lake Magadi
Lake Magadi
Lake Magadi is the southernmost lake in the Kenya Rift Valley, lying in a catchment of faulted volcanic rocks, north of Tanzania's Lake Natron. During the dry season, it is 80% covered by soda and is well known for its wading birds, including flamingos....
in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, although two species also have been introduced
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
to Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley soda lakes at an elevation of 1754 m above sea level. It lies to the south of Nakuru, in the rift valley of Kenya and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park....
.
Species
- Alcolapia alcalicaAlcolapia alcalicaAlcolapia alcalica is an endangered species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to the hypersaline, warm Lake Natron, its drainage and the Shombole swamps in Kenya and Tanzania, but has also been introduced to Lake Nakuru.-References:...
- Alcolapia grahamiAlcolapia grahamiAlcolapia grahami is a vulnerable species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to the hypersaline, warm Lake Magadi in Kenya, but has also been introduced to Lake Nakuru in Kenya and Lake Natron in Tanzania.-References:...
- Alcolapia latilabrisAlcolapia latilabrisAlcolapia latilabris is a species of small fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to the hypersaline, warm Lake Natron in Tanzania....
- Alcolapia ndalalaniAlcolapia ndalalaniAlcolapia ndalalani is a species of small fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to the hypersaline, warm Lake Natron in Tanzania....