Coptodon deckerti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coptodon deckerti |
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Tilapia deckerti Thys van den Audenaerde, 1967 |
The Coptodon deckerti is a special type of fish. It belongs to the cichlid family, which includes many colorful fish. This fish is critically endangered, meaning it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
You can only find the Coptodon deckerti in one place: Lake Ejagham in western Cameroon, Africa. This makes it an endemic species, as it lives nowhere else in the world.
About the Deckert's Cichlid
The Coptodon deckerti is a small fish. It can grow up to about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. It looks a lot like another, slightly bigger cichlid called Coptodon nigrans.
For a long time, people thought the Coptodon deckerti was the only cichlid living in Lake Ejagham. But in 2010 and 2011, scientists discovered and described six more cichlid species that also live only in this lake! This discovery helped us understand more about the fish in Lake Ejagham.
Why Is This Fish Endangered?
The Coptodon deckerti faces several big dangers. One major problem is pollution from human activities. Things like trash or chemicals can get into the lake. Another issue is sedimentation, which means too much dirt and sand are washing into the lake. This can make the water cloudy and harm the fish's home.
Scientists also worry about carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. This gas can sometimes build up at the bottom of lakes. If too much CO2 is released, it can be dangerous for fish. Luckily, Lake Ejagham is not very deep, so it probably doesn't hold huge amounts of this gas.
A new threat has also appeared recently. A type of catfish from the genus Parauchenoglanis was introduced to the lake. This means it was brought there by people, but it doesn't naturally live there. This new catfish might be a serious danger to the Coptodon deckerti and other cichlids. It could compete for food or even eat the smaller cichlids.
Who Was Kurt Deckert?
The Coptodon deckerti was named to honor a German zoologist named Kurt Deckert (1907-1987). He was a curator of fish at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin.
When the scientist who first described this fish, Thys van den Audenaerde, visited the museum, Kurt Deckert helped him a lot. He spent many hours giving useful information for Thys van den Audenaerde's research on cichlids. So, the fish was named deckerti to thank him for his help.
