A critical revision of the churchill snoutfish, genus Petrocephalus Marcusen, 1854 (Actinopterygii: Teleostei: Mormyridae), from southern and eastern Africa, with the recognition of Petrocephalus tanensis, and the description of five new species

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2012
Authors:Kramer, B., Bills, R., Skelton, P., Wink M.
Journal:Journal of Natural History
Volume:46
Pagination:2179–2258
Date Published:09/2012
ISSN:ISSN 0022-2933
Keywords:allopatric speciation, electric organ discharges, molecular genetics, morphometrics, Systematics
Abstract:

We morphologically and genetically studied the southern African electric fish Petrocephalus catostoma, or churchill, and its six nominal species, five of which by synonymization (three valid subspecies). We reinstate the synonymized species, and recognize Petrocephalus tanensis (Whitehead and Greenwood, 1959) from the Tana River in Kenya, also using electric organ discharges. The Okavango delta (Botswana) is inhabited by Petrocephalus okavangensis sp. nov. and Petrocephalus magnitrunci sp. nov., and the Namibian Cunene River by Petrocephalus magnoculis sp. nov. We recognize Petrocephalus petersi sp. nov. for the Lower Zambezi River (Mozambique), and Petrocephalus longicapitis sp. nov. for the Upper Zambezi River (Namibia). The Lufubu River in Northern Zambia is inhabited by Petrocephalus longianalis sp. nov. For the southern churchill, Petrocephalus wesselsi Kramer and Van der Bank, 2000, we confirm intraspecific and interspecific differentia- tion. Sequence data from mitochondrial DNA confirm differentiation of two new western and two eastern species, forming mutual sister groups.

URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2012.708452
DOI:10.1080/00222933.2012.708452
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