Diversity of the southern Africa Lacustricola Myers, 1924 and redescription of Lacustricola johnstoni (Günther, 1894) and Lacustricola myaposae (Boulenger, 1908) (Cyprinodontiformes, Procatopodidae)

Taxonomic diversity, distribution, and ecology of the freshwater fishes of the Zambezian Lowveld Ecoregion in southern Africa: A systematic review

The Zambezian Lowveld Ecoregion (ZLE) is one of the 22 freshwater ecoregions covering southern Africa. This ecoregion covers ~520,418 km2 and extends from south of the Zambezi Delta in the north to the uMngeni River basin in the south. This study aimed to compile a comprehensive synthesis of the available information on the diversity and distribution of freshwater fishes in this ecoregion based on natural history collection holdings by reviewing the published scientific literature. In total, 105 native species belonging to 39 genera and 17 families were recorded from the ZLE. An important proportion, 20 (19%), of the species are considered to be narrow-range endemics. Nevertheless, the majority of them (81%) are considered to have broad geographic ranges, with some even extending into adjacent ecoregions. However, recent and ongoing studies indicate that the current taxonomy often underestimates the species diversity and therefore overestimates the distribution ranges of the latter group of freshwater fishes concerned. The present synthesis brings to the fore existing knowledge gaps in species diversity and distribution ranges of freshwater fishes of this ecoregion and highlights the need for the use of integrative approaches to address the prevailing taxonomic conflicts.

Checklist of the Fishes of the Kundelungu National Park (Upper Congo Basin, DR Congo): Species Diversity and Endemicity of a Poorly Known Ichthyofauna

The fish diversity of the Kundelungu National Park (KNP), one of the seven national parks of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has never been thoroughly studied. This first checklist is presented based on a literature compilation and the study of historical (1939–1969) and recent collections (2012–2017). A total of 96 taxa are reported, including 64 native described species, one introduced species (Poecilia reticulata), 13 new species that await formal description and 18 possibly new species that require further investigation to verify their status. These taxa represent 39 genera and 17 families from the KNP including its Buffer Zone (BZ). Only six taxa, including five endemics, are known from the Core Zone on the Kundelungu Plateau (1300–1700 m alt.). At lower altitudes (800–1100 m), in the Annex Zone, 71 taxa, including 17 endemics, were found. Finally, 50 taxa, including 13 endemics and one introduced species, are known from its BZ. The fish fauna of the KNP is threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and habitat degradation due to mining pollution, and deforestation for agriculture on the river banks. The present study provides the much needed baseline data for the protection and conservation planning of this fish fauna, for which conservation suggestions are formulated.

Investigating the utility of Anchored Hybrid Enrichment data to investigate the relationships among the Killifishes (Actinopterygii: Cyprinodontiformes), a globally distributed group of fishes

The Killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes) are a diverse and well-known group of fishes that contains sixteen families inclusive of Anablepidae, Aphaniidae Aplocheilidae, Cubanichthyidae, Cyprinodontidae, Fluviphylacidae, Fundulidae, Goodeidae, Nothobranchiidae, Orestiidae, Pantanodontidae, Poeciliidae, Procatopodidae, Profundulidae, Rivulidae, and Valenciidae and more than 1,200 species that are globally distributed in tropical and temperate, freshwater and estuarine habitats. The evolutionary relationships among the families within the group, based on different molecular and morphological data sets, have remained uncertain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use a targeted approach, anchored hybrid enrichment, to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among the families within the Cyprindontiformes. This study included more than 100 individuals, representing all sixteen families within the Cyprinodontiformes, including many recently diagnosed families. We recovered an average of 244 loci per individual. These data were submitted to phylogenetic analyses (RaxML and ASTRAL) and although we recovered many of the same relationships as in previous studies of the group, several novel sets of relationships for other families also were recovered. In addition, two well-established clades (Suborders Cyprinodontoidei and Aplocheilodei) were recovered as monophyletic and are in agreement with most previous studies. We also assessed the degree of gene tree discordance in our dataset to evaluate support for alternative topological hypotheses for interfamilial relationships within the Cyprinodontiformes using a variety of different analyses. The results from this study will provide a robust, historical framework needed to investigate a plethora of biogeographic, taxonomic, ecological, and physiological questions for this group of fishes.

Description of two new miniature species of Hylopanchax Poll & Lambert, 1965 (Cyprinodontiformes: Procatopodidae), from northeastern Gabon, with an updated diagnosis of the genus based on morphology, colouration and osteology

Two new species of the lampeye genus Hylopanchax are described from the Ivindo River basin in the Ogowe River drainage. Hylopanchax multisquamatus, new species, and Hylopanchax thysi, new species, differ from congeners by the presence of a hyaline urogenital male papilla with small black spots and a dark-brown reticulate pattern on the flanks of both males and females in preserved specimens. Hylopanchax multisquamatus is distinguished from congeners by the number of scales on the mid-longitudinal series (27-30 vs. 19-26, respectively) and by the relative anterior/posterior flank scale depth ratio (140%-150% vs. 170%-220%). Hylopanchax thysi is distinguished from all other congeners, except Hylopanchax paucisquamatus, by the presence of vertebrae (30 vs. 31-33) and is further distinguished from H. multisquamatus by the presence of a deeper caudal peduncle and much larger anterior flank scales. It is distinguished from H. paucisquamatus by the presence of a hyaline urogenital male papilla with small black spots and a dark-brown reticulate pattern on the flanks of both males and females in preserved specimens. Osteological data of Hylopanchax are presented for the first time, and an updated diagnosis based on external morphology, colouration pattern and osteology is provided. An osteological comparison with closely related species belonging to the genera Procatopus, Hypsopanchax and "Hypsopanchax" is presented. (a) A truncate and slightly downward-directed anterior process of the angulo-articular and (b) a guitar-shaped lachrymal with both its anterior and posterior margins sharply curved are here considered as diagnostic features of Hylopanchax.