Abstract:
Prior to the introduction and establishment of Nile perch Lates niloticus, haplochromine cichlids were the most abundant and speciose group of fishes in lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo. They occupied virtually all trophic levels and played an important role in the flow of organic matter in these ecosystems. Following the establishment of Nile perch, stocks of haplochromines declined rapidly, and some species completely disappeared.