M.Sc. / The tigerfish, Hydrocynus vittatus, is one of the most sought-after game fish in Southern Africa, and a vital source of protein and income in contiguous communities. Unfortunately, this species has been placed on the protected species list, alongside the infamous great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). The loss of this species will not only be disadvantageous to local communities, but will also have a damaging impact on the Southern African tourism industry. After reviewing all available literature on tigerfish, it was noted that studies on the genetics, morphology, distribution, age, growth and maturity were severely lacking. Research on the Pongolapoort Dam and Phongolo River tigerfish was also practically nonexistent. The aims of this study were therefore to: (1) analyse the genetic variation and diversity of five Southern African tigerfish populations and comment on the use of the various populations as possible candidates for restocking; (2) assess whether the genetic composition and caudal colour can be linked to the biogeography of the species; (3) determine the growth patterns of tigerfish otoliths and establish the best ageing technique for this species; and (4) determine the age structure of tigerfish from the Pongolapoort Dam in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Before analysing the genetic composition of various tigerfish populations, it was hypothesised that individuals from the Okavango and Phongolo systems would possess the highest and lowest heterozygosity, respectively. Tigerfish from the Olifants River would be the best choice of brood stock, should population restocking become necessary. The muscle and liver tissues of 117 tigerfish from the Upper Zambezi, Okavango Delta, Olifants and Phongolo Rivers and Pongolapoort Dam, were assessed by starch gel electrophoresis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:2236 |
| Date | 02 May 2012 |
| Creators | Soekoe, Michelle |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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