The Upemba National Park (Upper Congo Basin, DR Congo): An Updated Checklist Confirming Its Status as an African Fish Biodiversity Hotspot
Bauchet Katemo Manda,
Jos Snoeks,
Auguste Chocha Manda,
Emmanuel Abwe,
Christian Mukweze Mulelenu,
Micheline Kasongo Ilunga Kayaba,
Pacifique Kiwele Mutambala,
Lewis Ngoy Kalumba,
Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven
Affiliations
Bauchet Katemo Manda
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jos Snoeks
Ichthyology, Section Vertebrates, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium
Auguste Chocha Manda
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Emmanuel Abwe
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christian Mukweze Mulelenu
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Micheline Kasongo Ilunga Kayaba
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pacifique Kiwele Mutambala
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lewis Ngoy Kalumba
Unité de Recherche en Biodiversité et Exploitation Durable des Zones Humides, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Emmanuel J. W. M. N. Vreven
Ichthyology, Section Vertebrates, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium
An annotated checklist of the ichthyofauna of the Upemba National Park, draining part of the Upper Lualaba basin and situated in the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is presented, based on a literature review, a re-examination of museum collections, and a study of recent collections (2012–2020). In total, 247 native and 1 introduced species, Heterotis niloticus, are reported. The native species belong to 78 genera, 26 families, and 15 orders. Of these, 45 species (18%) are endemic to the park, 35 species (14%) await formal description, and 5 taxa (2%) need further study to clarify their status. With 51 species, the Cyprinidae is by far the most species-rich family, followed by the Mormyridae (26), Mochokidae (26), Alestidae (18), Distichodontidae (18), Amphiliidae (17), and Cichlidae (16). The remaining families are represented by less than 15 species. Comments about the species distribution and the fish fauna shared with adjacent ecoregions are provided. Although the park provides some protection for the fish species living within its borders by limiting human access to the core zone, the annex and buffer zones are both subject to strong anthropogenic pressure. These observations underscore the need for the implementation and further elaboration of fish-related preservation guidelines and plans to enable better protection/conservation of the park’s ichthyofauna.
