Petrocephalus boboto and Petrocephalus arnegardi, two new species of African electric fish (Osteoglossomorpha, Mormyridae) from the Congo River basin

Researchers have identified two new species of African electric fish, Petrocephalus boboto and Petrocephalus arnegardi, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Odzala-Kokoua National Park. These discoveries were made through a combination of morphological analysis—such as distinct black body spots, electroreceptor cluster patterns, and fin ray counts—and comparative molecular studies involving 21 other Petrocephalus species. P. boboto is distinguished by its unique triphasic electric organ discharge waveform and three specific black spots on its body, while P. arnegardi, though similar to the holotype of P. binotatus, differs in mouth size and interorbital width. Molecular analysis further confirmed their genetic distinctiveness, revealing deep evolutionary lineages within the genus. This study highlights the biodiversity of the Congo River basin and underscores the importance of thorough taxonomic research in understanding species diversity.

Lavoue, S., & Sullivan, J. (2014). Petrocephalus boboto and Petrocephalus arnegardi, two new species of African electric fish (Osteoglossomorpha, Mormyridae) from the Congo River basin. ZooKeys, 400, 43–65. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.400.6743