THE NOTHOBRANCHIUS SITE

MRAC 2020-004-P-0001, holotype, male, 28.7 mm SL; DR Congo: upper Lualaba drainage: small ephemeral stream in the Lufupa system, 500 m southeast of Nasondoye village, 10°22'15" S, 25°05'40" E; B. Nagy, A. Chocha Manda & G. Petneházy, 5 Apr 2016.

MRAC 2020-004-P-0002-5 (4)

Lacustricola nitida, a new species is described from a small temporary stream in the Lufupa River system, a left bank tributary of the upper Lualaba drainage in Lualaba province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is identified as most similar to L. matthesi. Both species share the diagnostic characters of body colour pattern with brilliant blue spots at scale centres, forming longitudinal lines on the flank, and creating a reflective blue body colouration; as well as cephalic sensory system characterized by the combination of supraorbital canal with exposed
neuromasts in zigzag shaped continuous groove, at preorbital level in open groove with exposed neuromasts, whereas postorbital and preopercular sensory systems tubular with pores.

Lacustricola nitida is distinguished from L. matthesi by the following unique combination of characters in males: dorsal and anal fins hyaline and without markings (vs. yellow with irregularly curved dotted stripes); as well as in both sexes, a supraorbital sensory system with three exposed neuromasts (vs. four); and a series of morphometric differences, as well as the number of rays in the pectoral fin.

Subgenus: Southern African 'Lacustricola'

Species group: 'L'. matthesi group 

A population of this species was collected in 2016 and referred to as Lacustricola spec. Nasondoye. Molecular analysis carried out by Bragança & Costa (2019) retrieved ‘Lacustricola’ spec. Nasondoye as separate lineage, sister to a clade composed of ‘L.’ matthesi, and ‘Hypsopanchax’ jubbi. Further, species of the polyphyletic genus Lacustricola from the southern Africa clade are referred to as ‘Lacustricola’.

'Lacustricola' nitida was established as a species by Nagy & Chocha Manda in 2020.

DR Congo: upper Lualaba drainage: small ephemeral stream in the Lufupa system, 500 m southeast of Nasondoye village, 10°22'15" S, 25°05'40" E.

This species is endemic to south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is currently known from a small temporary stream in the Lufupa River system, a left bank tributary of the upper Lualaba drainage in Lualaba province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

1156 m

The type locality is a temporary stream of about one to two metres wide and only a few centimetres deep. The water of the habitat was clear with the bottom of the pool visible. On 5 April 2016 during early afternoon, the water temperature was 22.7 °C, the pH was 7.9 and it contained 20 ppm of total dissolved solids.

Not known

Eggs develop in about two weeks at room temperature.

Maximum size reported: 29.9 mm SL (MRAC 2020-004-P-0002-5, paratype, male)

Not known

The specific name nitida (nitidus, -a, -um) is a Latin adjective meaning shining, glittering, bright, clear, and is given with reference to the neat appearance of the species and the distinctive pattern of independent metallic blue spots creating an overall reflective blue coloration.

IUCN Red List not evaluated

    Nagy, B. & A. Chocha Manda. 2020. Lacustricola nitida, a new species of lampeye from the upper Lualaba drainage, Democratic Republic of Congo (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Procatopodidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, IEF-1154, 11 pp. [taxonomy as Lacustricola nitida]