Lake type Crater lake Surface area 144 acres (58 ha) | Primary inflows Area 58 ha | |
Lake Bermin (sometimes spelled Bemin) is a small lake in the volcanic chain in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. It is a volcanic lake with a crater rim that rises to a height of about 150 feet (46 m). This highly isolated lake is roughly circular in shape, lacks an inflow, but has an outflow into the Cross River system.
Map of Lake Bermin, Cameroon
Despite its very small size, it supports nine endemic species of tilapiine cichlid fishes (C. bakossiorum, C. bemini, C. bythobates, C. flava, C. gutturosa, C. imbriferna, C. snyderae, C. spongotroktis, and C. thysi). This number of endemic fishes per area is the highest recorded anywhere. Genetic evidence suggests that these probably were the result of sympatric speciation. All are critically endangered by pollution and sedimentation from human activities, and potentially also by large emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the lake's bottom (compare Lake Nyos).