A New Alestes (Characiformes, Alestidae) from the Mpozo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo

A new species of Alestes from the Mpozo River in the Bas Congo Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo is described and diagnostic characters for the genus are presented. Alestes inferus, new species, is differentiated from all other members of the genus by its lower and non-overlapping lateral...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Copeia 2009-02, Vol.2009 (1), p.110-116
Main Authors: Stiassny, MelanieL. J, Schelly, RobertC, Mamonekene, Victor
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alestes
Alestidae
Animal behavior
Bridges
Canals
Characiformes
Compressed air
Fish scales
Fluvial channels
Freshwater
Holotypes
Lower extremity
Macrophthalmus
New species
Peduncle
Phylogenetics
s
Taxa
Teeth
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Summary:A new species of Alestes from the Mpozo River in the Bas Congo Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo is described and diagnostic characters for the genus are presented. Alestes inferus, new species, is differentiated from all other members of the genus by its lower and non-overlapping lateral-line scale count (31–33 versus 36–51) and its reduced and non-overlapping vertebral count (39–40 versus 41–49). Within Alestes, the new species appears to be most closely related to A. macrophthalmus and A. liebrechtsii, based on the shared possession by these three species of a tubular, bony extension enclosing the olfactory nerve on the lateral ethmoid, and bifurcated lateral-line canals terminating in two pores. Alestes liebrechtsii and A. inferus are the only species of the genus known from the lower Congo River.
ISSN:0045-8511
2766-1512
1938-5110
2766-1520
DOI:10.1643/CI-07-252