Etymology The common name "tilapia" is based on the name of the cichlid genus Tilapia, which is itself a latinization of either tlhapi, the Tswana word for "fish", or the Greek word "tilon," referring to a fish mentioned by Aristotle, combined with "apios," meaning "distant". Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith named the genus in 1840.
Etymology The common name "tilapia" is based on the name of the cichlid genus Tilapia which is itself a latinization of either tlhapi, the Tswana word for "fish", or the Greek word "tilon," referring to a fish mentioned by Aristotle, combined with "apios," meaning "distant". Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith named the genus in 1840.