02920nas a2200229 4500008004100000022002500041245016400066210006900230260001600299490000800315520215800323653001402481653001502495653001402510653002002524653001302544100002402557700002302581700002802604700002002632856003802652 2025 eng d a0022-1112, 1095-864900aReview of the southern African slender stonebashers, genus Heteromormyrus Steindachner 1866 (Teleostei: Mormyridae), with description of six new species0 aReview of the southern African slender stonebashers genus iHeter cSep-17-20250 v1083 a

Recent molecular studies have advanced our knowledge of the taxonomic diversity and generic placement of the slender stonebashers, previously placed in the genus Hippopotamyrus, in southern Africa. These fishes were recently transferred to the genus Heteromormyrus 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 Heteromormyrus ansorgii species complex by providing formal descriptions for six new species and redescriptions of Heteromormyrus pauciradiatus and H. ansorgii 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, Heteromormyrus dolichorhynchus sp. nov. and Heteromormyrus angusticaudata sp. nov., are endemic to the Kwanza River system. Heteromormyrus xanekweorum sp. nov. is confined to the Okavango River system, Heteromormyrus chilembwei sp. nov. occurs in the Ruo River (lower Zambezi River system), Heteromormyrus tangwenai sp. nov. is endemic to the Pungwe River system and Heteromormyrus ndauorum 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.

10aDiversity10afreshwater10amormyrids10asouthern Africa10aTaxonomy1 aMutizwa, Tadiwa, I.1 aKadye, Wilbert, T.1 aBragança, Pedro, H. N.1 aChakona, Albert uhttps://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.7019103320nas a2200325 4500008004100000022002500041245015700066210006900223260001600292300001600308490000700324520229000331653001102621653003102632653001402663653001702677653002202694653001802716100001902734700002202753700002102775700002802796700002302824700001702847700002402864700002002888700002002908700002102928856004502949 2022 eng d a1063-5157, 1076-836X00aPhylogenomics of bonytongue fishes (Osteoglossomorpha) shed light on the craniofacial evolution and biogeography of the weakly electric clade Mormyridae0 aPhylogenomics of bonytongue fishes Osteoglossomorpha shed light  cJan-18-2022 a1032–10440 v713 a

Abstract Bonytongues (Osteoglossomorpha) constitute an ancient clade of teleost fishes distributed in freshwater habitats throughout the world. The group includes well-known species such as arowanas, featherbacks, pirarucus, and the weakly electric fishes in the family Mormyridae. Their disjunct distribution, extreme morphologies, and electrolocating capabilities (Gymnarchidae and Mormyridae) have attracted much scientific interest, but a comprehensive phylogenetic framework for comparative analysis is missing, especially for the species-rich family Mormyridae. Of particular interest are disparate craniofacial morphologies among mormyrids which might constitute an exceptional model system to study convergent evolution. We present a phylogenomic analysis based on 546 exons of 179 species (out of 260), 28 out of 29 genera, and all six families of extant bonytongues. Based on a recent reassessment of the fossil record of osteoglossomorphs, we inferred dates of divergence among trans-continental clades and the major groups. The estimated ages of divergence among extant taxa (e.g., Osteoglossomorpha, Osteoglossiformes, Mormyroidea) are older than previous reports, but most of the divergence dates obtained for clades on separate continents are too young to be explained by simple vicariance hypotheses. Biogeographic analysis of mormyrids indicates that their high species diversity in the Congo Basin is a consequence of range reductions of previously widespread ancestors and that the highest diversity of craniofacial morphologies among mormyrids originated in this basin. Special emphasis on a taxon-rich representation for mormyrids revealed pervasive misalignment between our phylogenomic results and mormyrid taxonomy due to repeated instances of convergence for extreme craniofacial morphologies. Estimation of ancestral phenotypes revealed contingent evolution of snout elongation and unique projections from the lower jaw to form the distinctive Schnauzenorgan. Synthesis of comparative analyses suggests that the remarkable craniofacial morphologies of mormyrids evolved convergently due to niche partitioning, likely enabled by interactions between their exclusive morphological and electrosensory adaptations.

10aAfrica10aAncestral State Estimation10aDiversity10aExon Capture10aFreshwater fishes10aPhylogenomics1 aPeterson, Rose1 aSullivan, John, P1 aHopkins, Carl, D1 aSantaquiteria, Aintzane1 aDillman, Casey, B.1 aPirro, Stacy1 aBetancur-R, Ricardo1 aArcila, Dahiana1 aHughes, Lily, C1 aOrtí, Guillermo uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syac001