The wide-ranging species we here recognize as Paramormyrops kingsleyae corresponds to the "cabrae group" clade in an AFLP study of phylogenetic relationships of Paramormyrops species and populations (Sullivan et al., 2004). Unpublished analysis of cytochrome b DNA sequences from populations in the western Congo basin indicates that these belong to the same clade.
A widespread distribution throughout the Ogowe River basin including the Ivindo, in the Woleu, in the Nyanga, and in coastal drainages of Southern Gabon. The types of Marcusenius cabrae Boulenger from Mayumbe Chiloango River extend its range south of the Gabon border. In the Congo Basin it is known from the Lékoli River drainages in Odzala National Park, Rep. of Congo and tributaries of the Sangha River of C.A.R. and from the Bima River of the Oubangui-Uele system in D.R. Congo (locality of Marcusenius retrodorsalis Nichols & Griscom, that we regard a junior synonym of this species).