This project is the first in-depth survey of the freshwater fish fauna of Central West Africa since 1909. It is an attempt to describe every species of freshwater fish from the Lower Guinea ichthyofaunal province of Africa, an area that comprises approximately 680,000 square kilometers along arc of the Gulf of Guinea from the Cross River in Nigeria to the Chiloango River in the Angolan province of Cabinda. This area is biogeographically distinctive. It has over 600 species of fresh- and brackish-water fish species with many endemic to this area. The area has not been surveyed for its fish since Boulenger's catalog of freshwater fishes of Africa published in 1909-1916. Working in collaboration with M. Stiassny of the American Museum of Natural History and Guy G. Teugels of Tervuren Belgium (now deceased), the publication of this two volume survey of the freshwater fishes represents the culmination of 13 years of work. Field collections of over 13,000 specimens of fish have been deposited in the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, and in other museums around the world. Experts in various families of fishes have been invited to contribute chapters and write species descriptions. There are 50 chapters in the volume, and over 40 contributing authors. Many new species were discovered during the project. Each chapter includes one family of fishes, each with a separate key, drawing or photograph, description, diagnosis, and distribution map. The volume is in press, to be published in 2006.

The project began in 1993 at an International Conference on the Freshwater fishes of Africa, held in Dakar, Senegal. Because of the work of the Hopkins lab being conducted in Gabon, we had already established a base of operations and had discovered many new species. The Hopkins lab is mainly interested in the mormyrid fishes, which is one of the most diverse and complex families. Hopkins discovered many new fish because he was able to record their electric organ discharges during field work. Cornell University provided funds for a visit to Gabon in 1996 to work out collaboration with Gabon scientists. Cornell contributed to the purchase of a vehicle in 1998. National Geographic Society funded one trip in 1998 and the National Science Foundation funded four trips in 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2004. The fish collections brought to Cornell are the largest fish from west central Africa in the U.S. The mormyrid collection at Cornell is now the most important in the world for this area of Africa. This book will be the most important book ever published on fishes of west Central Africa.

Members of the Carl Hopkins laboratory have completed a 13-year project to survey the freshwater fishes of central West Africa, including Cameroon, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo. The work involved field work in all three countries, collections of freshwater fish, cataloging of specimens, and data analysis and descrptive writing. The work has been submitted for publication as a two volume book plus numerous journal articles. Stiassny, M.L.J., Hopkins, C. D. and Teugels, G.G. (in press). Fresh and Brackish Water Fishes of Lower Guinea, west Central Africa. Poissons d`eaux douces et saumâtres de Basse Guinée, l`Afrique Ouest-Centrale. Paris, France; Tervuren, Belgium, New York: Institut de Recherche et Development (IRD); Musée Royal de l`Afrique Centrale. In two volumes, and published in French and in English, it will be the first ever major publication on freshwater fishes from this region of Africa, and the first revision of many of the species since 1909. The impact on understanding the biodiversity of fishes will be significant.

The impact of understanding the biodiversity of fishes will be significant both because of the scope of the work and because of the importance to understanding biodiversity. This area of Africa is unknown to fish biologists, and yet it is one of the most diverse and taxonomically interesting in all of Africa. There are more than 600 species of freshwater fish, about 30 percent are endemic to the region. There has been a large effect on the training of students. We have had two African scientists visit our lab for training on freshwater fish, and we have written articles in French and in English to promote the study of fishes in this region. The impact extends beyond the publication. It also represents significant training of African researchers who have participated in the project and have contributed observations and data to the study. Two African scientists received training in Ithaca during the project.

National Geographic National Science Foundation Cornell University CALS International Program at NSF Cornell International Program

• Stiassny, Melanie
• Teugels, Guy
• John Friel