Lipase activity in the liver and digestive tract of some cichlids (Pisces: Cichlidea)

Lipase activity in the liver and digestive tract of Hemichromis fasciatus, Oreochmis niloticus Sarotherodon galilaeus and Tilapia zillii from a small lake in Ilorin was studied. The digestive tract was divided into anterior, middle and posterior sections and the crude extracts of these sections and the liver of these fishes were assayed for lipase activity . Results indicated that there were lipase activity in the whole digestive tract and liver of H. fasciatus, O. niloticus, S. galilaeus and T. zillii. The presence of lipase in the anterior section implies that lipid digestion takes place in this portion of the digestive tract of these fishes. This result shows that lipid digestion in these cichlids does not follow the same pattern as in higher vertebrates