It is also the worlds deepest recorded river, with measured depths in excess of 220 m 720 ft. The approximately 25 000 km 2 area of lake waters is augmented by the congo river and its several tributaries, including the uganga, lualava, luapula, lulonga and tschuapa. Nov 03, 2009 stiassny thinks the rivers power is shaping evolution in the congo. The animal life of the congo basin is identified to a certain extent with that of the equatorial forest, which is sharply distinct from the wildlife of the savannas. Stanley remained in the congo until 1884, setting up 22 small towns along the river and guiding the effort to establish four steamers on the congo source. Genomic study in lower congo reveals microscale diversification. Photo of speciesrich assemblage of fishes in the lower congo river.
Tim butchers top 10 books about congo books the guardian. The lower congo river holds the potential to provide a greater understanding of. Dying fish revealed congo is worlds deepest river live. Apr 25, 2017 the democratic republic of the congos biodiversity of fish is widely dominated by various catfish species. The lower congo river s depths have made it a natural lab for convergent evolution, yielding fish with unexpected features. Congo river fish evolution shaped by intense rapids 17 february 2017 a pair of aquariumheld cichlids of the species telegramma brichardi. Its overall length of 4,700 km 2,922 miles makes it the second longest in africa after the nile. The congo river in central africa is one of the worlds great rivers, carrying 1. Molecular phylogenetics reveals convergent evolution in lower. It uses his expedition across the congo to tell the region. Stiassny, axelrod research curator of fishes, american museum of natural history some of the most spectacular cataracts, falls, and gorges on earth are found in the lower congo river.
Winding 4,700 km2,900 miles through west africa, the congo is the second longest african river, after the nile. Balancing hydropower and biodiversity in the amazon, congo, and mekong, basinscale planning is needed to minimize impacts in megadiverse rivers. Congo river basin, west africa, 180 l biotope aquarium. Congo river fish evolution shaped by intense rapids by american museum of natural history a pair of aquariumheld cichlids of the species telegramma brichardi. The congo river, formerly known as the zaire river during the dictatorship of mobutu sese seko, is the second longest river in africa, shorter only than the nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharge volume, following only the amazon. Near the city of kinshasa, the water puddles against a natural rock barrier, creating an expansion called pool malebo. It is the only fish that doesnt fear crocodile, locals say, and it actually eats smaller ones. Hydrocynus goliath is found in the congo river basin including lualaba river and lake upemba, and lake tanganyika. During periods of high water, floodplains and swamps may expand.
An ecological and systematic survey of fishes in the rapids of the lower zaire or congo river. The congo basin contains some 33 000 km of river channels, amounting to about 34 000 km 2. Evolution in the deepest river in the world science smithsonian. Pollution of the congo river by emmie walker on prezi. With a length of 2,900 miles 4,700 km, it is the continents second longest river, after the nile.
Stiassny thinks the rivers power is shaping evolution in the congo. The source of the congo river lies in the southeast of the democratic republic of the congo at an altitude of between 1400 and 1500 m, and consists of a number of small streams, swamps and lakes. Congo river fish evolution shaped by intense rapids. New dnabased research provides compelling evidence that a group of strangelooking fish living near the mouth of the congo river are. New fish species are scientifically described with some regularity from the congo river basin and many undescribed species are known. The congo tetra has a typical fullbodied tetra shape. Just imagine what an adultsized version of this fish can do. The river forms the vast majority of the border between zaire and also the republic of congo and drains greater than 1, 600, 000 square miles of land. It rises in the highlands of northeastern zambia between lakes tanganyika and nyasa malawi as the chambeshi river at an elevation of 5,760 feet 1,760. Evolution, population genetics and speciation in african freshwater. Congo river simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Fish in the congo the science show abc radio national.
An ecological and systematic survey of fishes in the rapids. In 1885, belgium officially gained control of the land the congo free state became the belgian congo. The animal population of the great waterways often has fewer affinities with the. The congo river may rank ninth in length in the world, but it trails only the amazon in terms of total water discharge, has the greatest depths of any river, and rejoices in a basin so large that it covers percent of the african continent. The fishes found only in the lower congo rapids can only have evolved after the formation of. It is found in congo river system and lake tanganyika. A study published in 2011 revealed several mtdna clades in this region, suggesting a higher tigerfish species richness than traditionally recognized. Phenotypic convergence, cryptophthalmia, fish, congo river, phylogenetics, biogeography, molecular divergence.
This occurs after the river spills over the side of a raised plateau and flows to the atlantic ocean. We study the origins of fish diversity in african rivers and lakes, with a current focus. Sep 28, 2015 the congo river in central africa is one of the worlds great rivers, carrying 1. Being the second largest country, the democratic republic of the congo boasts of housing over 400 fish species, several of which are endemic to the country. New species evolve when some geographic barriera mountain range, an ocean, a glacierdivides a population. Stanleys famous 1874 expedition in which he mapped the congo river. She has authored numerous scientific papers, books, and articles and is a. Native fish of the democratic republic of the congo. A contemporaneous connection from the congo system to the headwaters of the upper zambezi was suggested via the kasai river 19,28, 29, which served as a dispersal route for various fish taxa 11. Stiassny thinks the river s power is shaping evolution in the congo. The congo tetra phenacogrammus interruptus is a species of fish in the african tetra family, found in the central congo river basin in africa. The freaky fishes of the congo nsf national science foundation.
An extreme tented adventure in kinshasa drc congo travelling long distances to uncharted areas of the river, searching for the mbenga local name for goliath tiger fish, or. Molecular phylogenetics reveal convergent evolution in lower congo river spiny eels. New research provides compelling evidence that a group of strangelooking fish living near the mouth of the congo river are evolving due to the intense hydraulics of the river s rapids and deep. There are many rivers that we have all heard of like the river niger, river gamba, and of course the river congo this was formerly known as the river zaire. Visit smithsonian magazine to read the recent article evolution in the deepest river in the world by kyle dickman, one of the whitewater kayakers who naviagted the river from pool malebo to pioka some 90km downstream during our 2008 field season in bas congo.
Evolution in a vortex fish diversity in the lower congo. Within this equatorial domain, the congo and its principal tributaries form a separate ecological milieu. A river as large as the congo is bound to have tons of fish in its water, literally. The congo river also known as zaire river is the largest river in africa. Evolution in the deepest river in the world science. New research provides compelling evidence that a group of strangelooking fish living near the mouth of the congo river are evolving due to. The river and its tributaries flow through the second largest rain forest area in the world, 1 second only to the amazon rainforest in south america. New research provides compelling evidence that a group of strangelooking fish living near the mouth of the congo river are evolving due to the intense hydraulics of the rivers rapids and deep. By 10,000 years ago, the ice caps had melted and sea level was pretty much as it is today. It is not in any way a biotope, since it includes fish and plants not only not found in the same locale within a river system, but mixed from nigeria, the congo, cameroon, sierra leone and several other countries about 45 species of fish crammed like sardines into one 180 liter tank. Fao fishery country profile democratic republic of the congo. The odd thing about the worlds deepest river conde nast. Some of the most pregnant months in my life were spent in kinshasa, on the other side of the congo river, living, working and being the guest of young black people in a popular parish of kinshasa, eating, dancing, listening to music, drinking, sleeping totally grafted into a group of about twenty young people, mostly teenagers who wanted to.
The congo basin contains some 33 000 km of river channels, amounting to about 34 000 km2. Congo river fish evolution shaped by intense rapids amnh. They found cichlids, a freshwater fish known to evolve quickly in new. Earths deepest river conceals an evolutionary mystery the new. The turbulent lower congo river, home to hundreds of fish species, is not only earths deepest river. Evolution in a vortex fish diversity in the lower congo river. Evolution, population genetics and speciation in african. Aug 29, 2009 the congo is a large meandering african river. The congo river is an enormous waterway with a split personality.
The congo river is located on the continent of africa. Document library about nsf careers staff directory. Nov 24, 2009 a recent narrativestyle article in smithsonian magazine highlighted research in the largely unexplored congo river in central africa, where researchers have identified new fish species. By providing a novel comparative framework for this newly discovered system. Historical exploration of the congo river exploring the.
New dnabased research provides compelling evidence that a group of strangelooking fish living near the mouth of the congo river are evolving due to the. The congo rivers sources are in the highlands and mountains with the east african rift, also lake tanganyika and river mweru. It is also of great evolutionary importance, as 7 out of 10 fish families in lake tanganyika have evolved from its waters. The lower congo rivers depths have made it a natural lab for convergent evolution, yielding fish with unexpected features.
Countries it runs through angola, burundi, cameroon, central african republic, congo kinshasa, gabon, congo brazzaville, rwanda, tanzania, and zambia. Earths deepest river conceals an evolutionary mystery. The river congo is the largest river in western central africa reaching a length of 2,922 miles. Flowing through the worlds second largest area of rainforest, the system is also home to more than 700 species of freshwater fishes. The congo has by far the highest diversity of any african river system. Questions on congo river fishes the new york times. New dnabased research provides compelling evidence that a group of strangelooking fish living near the mouth of the congo river are evolving due to the intense hydraulics of the rivers rapids. A tented or lodged true wilderness adventure in maipili rc congo near the surrounding bush. The researchers preliminarily confirmed that strong currents in deep waters had isolated the breeding populations of certain fishes, including the bottomfeeding elephant fish. Jeremy wade catches a catfish in the congo so powerful that it could possibly drag someone to their death. However, due to it being relatively uncharted, the real number is probably far higher. The approximately 25 000 km2 area of lake waters is augmented by the congo river and its several tributaries, including the uganga, lualava, luapula, lulonga, and tschuapa.
571 992 1107 254 818 553 1215 1309 683 854 575 148 268 805 1195 364 1502 728 435 740 867 101 1486 228 776 1038 876 472 501 1137 563 1293 74 987 624 1512 949 261 429 363 841 856 409 381