Description of a new small‐sizedSynodontisspecies (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) that is important for local subsistence fisheries in the middle Lufira (upper Congo River, DR Congo)

Abstract

Funding informationThis study was made possible by a DEA scholarship to M.K.I. with funding from the Mbisa Congo project (2013-2018), a framework agreement project between the RMCA and the Belgian Development Cooperation. PRODEPAAK (NN/3000769) CTB/BTC project (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013) also provided financial and logistical support to the Katanga Expedition 2012. AbstractSynodontis denticulatus sp. nov. is an endemic from the middle Lufira Basin and its associated tributaries and lakes. The species shows close morphological resemblance to Synodontis greshoffi and Synodontis unicolor, which are widespread Congo Basin and Bangweulu-Mweru endemic species, respectively. However, it differs from both S. greshoffi and S. unicolor by its non-villous skin (v. villous skin), strong and numerous serrations on the posterior margin of the dorsal spine (v. weak and fewer serrations), weak and few serrations on the posterior margin of the pectoral spine (v. strong and numerous serrations), relatively short maxillary barbels (v. long) and its small maximum standard length (89.1 mm L S v. 148.0 and 190.7 mm L S respectively). A DNAbarcoding study (coI, mtDNA) revealed that S. denticulatus forms a distinct genetic clade with a genetic distance of 2.18% with S. greshoffi and 0.84% with S. unicolor.Synodontis denticulatus is caught regularly and abundantly as a by-catch in the gillnet fisheries in the middle Lufira lakes. Owing to its small overall size and large bony head, the species has usually no real commercial value but is an important food fish for the fishermen's families.

Revision of Nannocharax luapulae Boulenger, 1915 (Characiformes: Distichodontidae) from the Upper Congo basin: Evidence for a species pair

“…(2020), Synodontis denticulatus by Kasongo Ilunga et al . (2020), Chiloglanis msirii by Kashindye et al . (2021) and Nannocharax hadros by Katemo Manda et al .…”

Journal of Fish Biology special issue on The Biology and Ecology of African Freshwater Fishes

“…This special issue includes four papers that applied an integrative taxonomic approach combining genetic and morphological data to delineate and describe new species from the Congo River system Mambo Baba et al, 2020; Kasongo Ilunga et al, 2020; Katemo Manda et al, 2020; Mukweze Mulelenu et al, 2020). Baba et al .…”

“…Baba et al . (2020) provide new diagnosis for the mormyrid Marcusenius moorii (Günther 1867) sensu stricto , described a new species M. verheyenorum , revalidated M. lambouri (Pellegrin 1904) as a distinct species and put M. moorii longulus (David and Poll 1937) into synonymy with the later species. Mukweze Mulelenu et al .…”

“…Kasongo Ilunga et al . (2020) described a narrow range endemic mochokid, Synodontis denticulatus , from the middle Lufira River, while Katemo Manda et al . (2020) described a new cyprinid, Enteromius thespesios , which exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism.…”