02920nas a2200229   4500008004100000022002500041245016400066210006900230260001600299490000800315520215800323653001402481653001502495653001402510653002002524653001302544100002402557700002302581700002802604700002002632856003802652       2025                        eng d  a0022-1112, 1095-864900aReview of the southern African slender stonebashers, genus <i>Heteromormyrus</i> Steindachner 1866 (Teleostei: Mormyridae), with description of six new species0 aReview of the southern African slender stonebashers genus iHeter  cSep-17-20250 v1083 a<p><jats p="">Recent molecular studies have advanced our knowledge of the taxonomic diversity and generic placement of the slender stonebashers, previously placed in the genus <jats italic="">Hippopotamyrus</jats>, in southern Africa. These fishes were recently transferred to the genus <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus</jats> whose range encompasses the Kwanza, Kunene, Okavango, Zambezi, Pungwe and Buzi River systems in southern Africa, as well as the southern tributaries of the Congo River system. The present study builds on previous research that identified at least eight candidate species within the <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus ansorgii</jats> species complex by providing formal descriptions for six new species and redescriptions of <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus pauciradiatus</jats> and <jats italic="">H. ansorgii</jats> s.s. The Kwanza River system is peculiar because it currently has five known species in this genus, some of which are co‐distributed, whereas the other river systems have only one or two species in this genus. Two of the new species, <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus dolichorhynchus</jats> sp. nov. and <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus angusticaudata</jats> sp. nov., are endemic to the Kwanza River system. <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus xanekweorum</jats> sp. nov. is confined to the Okavango River system, <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus chilembwei</jats> sp. nov. occurs in the Ruo River (lower Zambezi River system), <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus tangwenai</jats> sp. nov. is endemic to the Pungwe River system and <jats italic="">Heteromormyrus ndauorum</jats> sp. nov. is endemic to the Buzi River system. Species in this genus exhibit high morphological similarity, but they can be separated by a combination of characters, including scale counts, dorsal‐ and anal‐fin ray counts, vertebral counts, caudal peduncle depth, position of nostrils, head shape and variation in colour pattern. Taxonomic diversity within this genus is likely to be higher than currently known, and future studies, particularly in the Kwanza and upper Zambezi rivers, are anticipated to uncover additional new species.</jats></p>
10aDiversity10afreshwater10amormyrids10asouthern Africa10aTaxonomy1 aMutizwa, Tadiwa, I.1 aKadye, Wilbert, T.1 aBragança, Pedro, H. N.1 aChakona, Albert  uhttps://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.70191