Cichlids are numerous in Africa, but in parts of the redbelly tilapia's range it is one of the few members of the family. In the Maghreb and Sahara (excluding the species-rich Nile), the only others are the blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) and mango tilapia (Sarotherodon galilaeus), and a couple of Astatotilapia and Hemichromis species.[1][2][10] In Western Asia, the only other native cichlids are a few species of oreochromine tilapias and the Jordan mouthbrooder (Astatotilapia flaviijosephi).[4][11]