DE VOS, L.

Department of Ichthyology, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 40658, Nairobi, Kenya

Fish diversity of the Lake Tanganyika drainage: An overview

Lake Tanganyika basin is known particularly for its endemic lacustrine cichlid fish and for its large stocks of sardines and commercially exploited Nile perches (Lates sp.). However, other fish are confined to the lake and its affluent rivers and associated marshes and swamps. Recent species lists of the lake basin presented by Brichard (1989) and Coulter (1991) record 290 fish species, including 175 cichlids and 115 non-cichlid species. Survey work in the lake and its major affluent rivers (Rusizi, Malagarasi and Lufubu) reveal that the Lake Tanganyika basin's ichthyofauna is considerably more diversified than previously reported. Currently, there are nearly 400 recognised species: three quarters of them are endemic to the system, over half of the fishes are cichlids. More than 250 species are found in the lake itself with over 90% lacustrine endemicity. At least 160 species are confined to affluent rivers and associated marshes. More survey work and systematic research on several taxa will modify and increase our knowledge of the species diversity of the lake basin in the near future.