Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2006-06-05
Page range: 33–44
Abstract views: 26
PDF downloaded: 2

Description of a new species of Labeo (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the lower Congo River

Laboratoire de Biologie, Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Gombé, Av. Père-Boka, Kinshasa Gombé, R.D. Congo. Contact address : 3-8970, Av. Louis-Dessaulles, Montreal (Qc) H1E 7H6/Canada
American Museum of Natural History, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, Central Park West at 79th St., New York, NY 10024 U.S.A.
American Museum of Natural History, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, Central Park West at 79th St., New York, NY 10024 U.S.A.
Pisces Labeo Cyprinidae new species Africa lower Congo River

Abstract

A new labeonine cyprinid, Labeo fulakariensis, is described from material recently collected in rapids on the lower Congo River near the mouth of the Foulakari River, a large north bank tributary, in the Republic of Congo, and from the Yelala rapids in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new species is readily distinguished from other Congolese Labeo except L. greenii and L. reidi by the following combination of characters: plicate lips, characteristic striping of the flanks, and a dark spot on the base of the caudal peduncle. Labeo fulakariensis is distinguished from L. greenii by dorsal fin shape and snout without a deep transverse furrow or upwardly directed fleshy anterior appendage, and from L. reidi by the position of the eyes, the circumpeduncular scale count (16 vs 17 to 20 in L. reidi) and maxillary barbels hidden and smaller than in L. reidi.

References

  1. Leviton, A.E., Gibbs, R.H., Heal J.E. & Dawson, C.E. (1985) Standards in herpetology and ichthyology: Part 1. Standard symbolic codes for institutional resource collections in herpetology and ichthyology. Copeia, 1985, 802–832.

    Thieme, M.L., Abell, R., Stiassny, M.L.J., Lerner, B., Skelton, P., Teugels, G., Dinnerstein, E., Toham, A.K., Burgess, N. & Olsen, D. (2005) Freshwater ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar. A conservation assessment. Island Press, Washington, DC, 431 pp.

    Tshibwabwa, S.M. & Teugels, G.G. (1995) Contribution to the systematic revision of the African cyprinid fish genus Labeo, species from the Lower Zaire river system. Journal of Natural History, 29, 1543–1579.

    Tshibwabwa, S.M. (1997) Systématique des espèces africaines du genre Labeo (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) dans les régions ichtyogéographiques de Basse-Guinée et du Congo. Vol I et II. Thèse de doctorat, Faculté des Sciences, Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix de Namur/Belgique. Presses Universitaires de Namur, 530 pp.