Contribution of Research Projects and Environmental Impact Assessment Studies to Fauna Biodiversity in Sudan

Abstract

Eighteen species of ants were recorded for the first time in Sudan including Lepisiota omeri n. sp.; Parasitological surveys of freshwater fishes of the Sudan during 2006 to 2014revealed the presence of four genera of parasitic crustacean; 42 species belonging to 19 monogenean genera parasites were collected from 26 fish species. Out of these the following five species are new to science (n. sp.): Quadriacanthus fornicatus, Q. pravus, Q. zuheiri, Q. mandibulatus and Dogielius senegalensis. Seven new records to the Sudan helminthes were added. These are: two cestodes (Monobothrioides tchadensis and Proteocephalus glanduligerus); one digenetic (Clinostomum complanatum larva) and three nematodes (Capillaria sp., Spinitectus sp. and Philometra bagri. Recording of Barsonella lafoni as a n. sp. of Proteocephalidean (Cestoda) from Clarias catfishes was based on material from Tarkana Lake (Kenya) and Wadi Halfa, Lake Nubia, Sudan.Fourteen nematodes including Cucullanus mormyri sp. n. from Mormyrus caschive from Kosti (White Nile) and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) pseudospiralis sp. n. from Synodontis schall from Khartoum, and S. frontosus, S. nigrita and S. schall from Khashm el Girba (Atbara River). In addition to two nematodes Contracaecum sp. Third stage-larvae Type 2 and Capillariidae gen. sp., needs further evaluation. All these parasites represent new host and geographical records. With respect to fishes an apparently undescribed Haplochromis species, marked variation in Sarotherodon galilaeus populations were noticed. Paradistichodus dimidiatus and Enteromius macrops were reported for the first time from the main Nile Basin. The mormyrid species Cyphomyrus petherici and Petrocephalus keatingii, as well as the small mochokid Mochokus brevis are new locality record for the White Nile. Coptodon zilli is a new locality record for Lake Nubia. Six bird species: Pelecanus onocrotalus, Phalacrocorax africanus, Ciconia ciconia, Platalea leucorodia, Haliaetus vocifer and Pluvianus aegyptius were recorded for the first time from Lake Nubia.