02820nas a2200253 4500008004100000022002500041245010600066210006900172260001600241300000900257490000900266520199800275653001502273653003602288653003202324653003302356653003002389653001302419100002202432700003402454700001702488700002102505856004002526 2024 eng d a0022-1112, 1095-864900aMorphometric synthesis of Pollimyrus (Teleostei, Mormyridae) with the description of four new species0 aMorphometric synthesis of Pollimyrus Teleostei Mormyridae with t cNov-24-2024 a1-470 v20243 a

Mormyridae, a species‐rich family endemic to Africa, remains taxonomically understudied. This has been the case for the genus Pollimyrus Taverne, 1971, which hinders further understanding of the distribution, ecology, and conservation of its species. Therefore, an in‐depth morphometric comparison of all currently valid species is carried out using most of the available type specimens. Species delineations were re‐evaluated, and four species new to science described: Pollimyrus ibalazambai sp. nov. (the Luki River, the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Pollimyrus krameri sp. nov. (the Lugenda River, Mozambique), Pollimyrus vanneeri sp. nov. (the Kouilou‐Niari River, the Republic of the Congo), and Pollimyrus weyli sp. nov. (the Buzi River, Mozambique). In this study, Pollimyrus guttatus is confirmed to belong to Pollimyrus, whereas Pollimyrus eburneensis and Cyphomyrus plagiostoma seem more similar to species allocated to other genera. No or only little morphological differences were found between the type series of several species, which could indicate the need for synonymization of these species (Pollimyrus cuandoensis with Pollimyrus marianne and Pollimyrus nigripinnis with Pollimyrus pulverulentus). As such 20 species are currently morphologically identifiable in the genus Pollimyrus. The present study highlights the critical need for further synthetic efforts and new collecting efforts across Africa for this and other Mormyridae genera.

10amorphology10aPollimyrus ibalazambai sp. nov.10aPollimyrus krameri sp. nov.10aPollimyrus vanneeri sp. nov.10aPollimyrus weyli sp. nov.10aTaxonomy1 aDierickx, Katrien1 aLunkayilakio, Soleil, Wamuini1 aBills, Roger1 aVreven, Emmanuel uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15983