A study of the relict fish fauna of northern Chad, with the first records of a polypterid and a poeciliid in the Sahara desert

A groundbreaking discovery reveals the presence of two previously unrecorded fish species in the Sahara Desert: Polypterus senegalus (Polypteridae) and Poropanchax normani (Poeciliidae). These relict populations, along with Tilapia zilli (Cichlidae), were found in Lake Boukou near Ounianga Serir, Chad, significantly expanding the known relict fish fauna of the region to six species. The study also clarified the specific status of Barbus macrops in Bachikere guelta within the Ennedi Mountains and documented the toad Amietophrynus regularis in Ounianga Kebir. This research sheds light on the unique biodiversity of Saharan water bodies, challenging assumptions about the distribution of aquatic species in extreme desert environments.

Trape, S. (2013). A study of the relict fish fauna of northern Chad, with the first records of a polypterid and a poeciliid in the Sahara desert. Comptes Rendus. Biologies, 336(11-12), 582–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2013.10.001