THE EFFECTS OF PREDATION BY NILE PERCH, LATES-NILOTICUS L, ON THE FISH OF LAKE NABUGABO, WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED ENDEMIC CICHLIDS

As in Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga most of the native fish species of Lake Nabugabo have either been depleted or have disappeared since Late s niloticus, Nile perch, and Oreochromis niloticus, a tilapiine, were introduced. L. niloticus, 0. niloticus, Schilbe intermedius, Brycinus jacksonii, and Rastrineobola argentea are the only species still abund ant and widespread in the lake. Of the five haplochromine species ende mic to Lake Nabugabo, at least one has vanished and the remaining ones are very rare. The prey of the Nile perch in Lake Nabugabo, with the exception of the prawn Caridina nilotica, which is absent from the lak e, are similar to those the predator switched to in Lakes Victoria and Kyoga after haplochromines had been depleted. These consist of epheme ropterans-especially Povilla, the anisopteran nymphs R. argentea, tila piines, and juvenile Nile perch. Three small lakes adjacent to Lake Na bugabo-lake Kayanja, Lake Kayugi, and Lake Manywa-contain large number s of Oreochromis esculentus and two haplochromine species previously k nown only in Lake Nabugabo. These three lakes should be designated con servation areas for the cichlids and other native species that were pr eviously abundant in Lakes Victoria Kyoga, and Nabugabo. The swamps ar ound these lakes should be protected so that the Vile perch does not s pread into them. Further research should be carried out to ensure the preservation of the endemic species.