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Guest author: Anna Mahulu
Lipochromis microdon is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Victoria. It hasn’t been formally recorded since 1985 and for decades, it was thought to be lost or possibly extinct as a victim of the dramatic ecological changes in Lake Victoria. Like many other haplochromine cichlids, and fish larvae eaters specifically, this species faced immense pressure from habitat degradation and the arrival of invasive species. However, in a surprising turn of events, recent sampling efforts have confirmed that Lipochromis microdon is still alive, offering a glimmer of hope for its conservation.
A Species Once Thought extinct
Originally described as Haplochromis microdon, this species was later placed in the genus Lipochromis when Peter Humphrey Greenwood revised the systematics of haplochromine cichlids in 1979/1980. Lipochromis is a genus of cichlids known for their specialised feeding behaviour of eating haplochromines cichlid larvae. Lipochromis microdon was part of Lake Victoria’s rich cichlid community until the mid-1980s. However, after the sudden increase in population of the introduced Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) in the 1980s, following several decades of strong eutrophication, populations of many native and endemic cichlids including Lipochromis microdon, plummeted to below detection limit. For four decades, it was feared that the species had disappeared entirely.
The Rediscovery
During field expeditions in 2023 and 2024, Ole Seehausen’s research team set out to revive regular sampling surveys of the haplochromine diversity at rocky reefs in the Mwanza region of Lake Victoria after several years of a sampling break. Using targeted sampling methods at rocky reefs in the southern Mwanza Gulf, we recorded two male individuals of Lipochromis microdon, one in 2023 and one in 2024 in the same place. This finding is significant because it provides the first confirmed sighting of the species in decades. It is also significant because many other sites were sampled in these years too, but this species was not sighted in any of them, and the same site was sampled many times between 1989 and 2015 but the species was never sighted there either in those years.
The rediscovery of Lipochromis microdon underscores the resilience of some of Lake Victoria’s endemic cichlids. It also highlights the need for comprehensive surveys of the entire lake, as other ‘lost’ species may still persist in pockets of the lake’s ecosystem.
What This Means for Conservation
The survival of Lipochromis microdon is encouraging, but its future remains uncertain. The threats that led to its decline are still present. The rediscovery presents an opportunity to reassess conservation priorities for Lake Victoria’s cichlids, particularly those species that are Critically Endangered or feared extinct.
We must act now to protect the fragile remnants of Lake Victoria’s unique biodiversity. Strengthening habitat protection, reducing pollution and curbing eutrophication, and supporting sustainable fisheries management will be crucial steps in ensuring that species like Lipochromis microdon do not disappear forever.
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