Relationship between Local and Scientific Names of Fishes in Lake Malawi/Nyasa

Ambali, Aggrey; Kabwazi, Harvey; Malekano, Lawrence; Mwale, George; Chnwaza, Davie; Ingainga, John; Makimoto, Naoki; Nakayama, Setsuko; Yuma, Masahide

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Title:	Relationship between Local and Scientific Names of Fishes in Lake Malawi/Nyasa
Authors:	Ambali, Aggrey Kabwazi, Harvey Malekano, Lawrence Mwale, George Chnwaza, Davie Ingainga, John Makimoto, Naoki Nakayama, Setsuko Yuma, Masahide
Year:	2001
Periodical:	African Study Monographs
Volume:	22
Issue:	3
Period:	September
Pages:	123-154
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Malawi
Subjects:	fish plant names Tonga language (Zambia, Zimbabwe) Tumbuka language Nyanja language Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
External link:	https://jambo.africa.kyoto-u.ac.jp/kiroku/asm_normal/abstracts/pdf/22-3/123-154.pdf
Abstract:	This paper presents the results of a survey carried out in 20 Malawian lakeside villages from 1999 to 2000 on the relationship between local and scientific names of fishes in Lake Malawi/Nyasa. Fishermen in various localities responded with 536 local fish names for photographs shown of 106 fish species and color morphs. Similarity analysis of local name usage produced three groups of localities corresponding with the Tonga, Tumbuka, and Nyanja/Yao languages. A single scientific fish species had 10.2 local fish names, while one local fish name covered 2.0 scientific fish species, and 64.3 percent of local fish names were used only for one scientific species. These facts suggest that lakeside residents identify fish at the biological taxonomy level, although the naming was specific to a particular locality. Most fishes with a high variety of local names were shallow-water dwelling species with low local market values, whereas fishes with fewer local names were mainly offshore species of high commercial value. With 2 appendices: 1. List of local names for 106 species of fish from Lake Malawi. 2. Local fish names with an indication of language, villages and scientific species. Bibliogr., sum.