| Most of the fishes living in the lagoons do not spend all their time in these brackishwaters. Sometimes, they go back to the river to spawn as in the case of freshwater fishes like Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus. Others like marine fishes (e.g., Ethmalosa jimbriata) feed or reproduce in lagoons for a time. Even true lagoon fishes are generally able to live in freshwater and/or in marine water. This is the case for two brackishwater tilapias, Sarotherodon melanotheron and Tilapia guineensis. Both are present in lagoons from Senegal to Congo (formerly Zaire). S. melanotheron is present in marine water near Dakar, Senegal, and in some freshwater lakes in Cote d'Ivoire. 1: guineensis is also present in freshwater in Cote d'Ivoire. |
