Genomics of the Nile Tilapia in the Congo Basin

Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, is native in the Levant, the Nile Basin, Northern Ethiopia and in Western Africa. It has been introduced for aquaculture purposes in the Congo Basin. However, the geographic origin, the culture forms (or wild types) and the genetic variance of the introduced tilapia are largely unknown. The objective of this project is to investigate the genomics of Nile tilapia in the Congo Basin using a phylogeographical analysis based on restriction associated DNA sequences (RADseq data). As such we aim at 1) assessing the genetic variance of introduced Nile tilapia in the Congo Basin sampled from three distinct regions (Lower, Middle and Upper Congo) and, if possible, 2) tracing the origin of the introduced fish and 3) detecting hybridization between Nile tilapia and local tilapia species (e.g. O. mweruensis; Coptodon rendalli).