Living National Treasures: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Checklists of Endemics

The DRC has several spectacular mammal species that occur nowhere else including two great apes, the Bonobo (bonobo.org) and Grauer’s Gorilla (WCS). Other endemic primates include the Black Mangabey (ARKive), the Golden-bellied Mangabey (Sacramento Zoo pdf file), and Thollon's Red Colobus (Flickr). The Okapi (Ultimate Ungulate) is a forest dwelling giraffe and an endemic genus. Other mammals exclusive to the DRC include the recently described Upemba Lechwe (Cambridge Journals Online), the Aquatic Genet (Animal Diversity Web), and the Mount Kahuzi Climbing Mouse (EDGE).

The Congo Peacock (ARKive), an endemic genus, is the only pheasant native to Africa. Other birds restricted to the country include the Congo Bay-owl (African Bird Clu b), Schouteden's Swift (BirdLife Int'l), the Itombwe Nightjar (BirdLife Int'l), Prigogine's Greenbul (UAE birding), the Yellow-crested Helmet-shrike (BirdLife Int'l), Grauer's Cuckoo-shrike (UAE birding), Rockefeller’s Sunbird (BirdLife Int'l), Bedford’s Paradise Flycatcher (UAE birding), and the Golden-naped Weaver (BirdLife Int'l).

Reptiles unique to the DRC include the Upemba Bush Viper Atheris katangensis (World of Atheris), the African Bighead Snake Hypoptophis wilsoni (Tomáš Mazuch), the Middle Congo Worm Lizard Monopeltis schoutedeni (Biodiversity Heritage Library), the Central African Mud Turtle Pelusios chapini (chelonia.org), and the Upemba Mud Turtle Pelusios upembae (Turtles of the World).

Endemic amphibians include the Congo Banana Frog Afrixalus equatorialis (AmphibiaWeb), Lang's Reed Frog Hyperolius langi (AmphibiaWeb), the Gembe Reed Frog Hyperolius robustus (ARKive), the Kunungu Reed Frog Hyperolius schoutedeni (AmphibiaWeb), the Itombwe Massif Clawed Frog Xenopus itombwensis (Zootaxa pdf file), the Buta River Frog Phrynobatrachus gastoni (African Amphibians Lifedesk), and the Itombwe Golden Frog Chrysobatrachus cupreonitens (AmphibiaWeb).

Endemic genera of freshwater fish include the Congo Blind Barb Caecobarbus (Biodiversity Heritage Library), a bagrid catfish Gnathobagrus (ACSI), Microstomatichthyoborus (Congo River Fishes), the Striped Fin-eater Paraphago (Biodiversity Heritage Library), the Congo Squeaker Acanthocleithron (Digimorph), and the cichlids Schwetzochromis (Cichlid Room Companion) and Teleogramma (FishBase). Additional cichlids unique to the DRC include Thoracochromis brauschi (Cichlid Room Companion), Neolamprologus nigriventris (Big Sky Cichlids), Chromidotilapia schoutedeni (FishBase), and Steatocranus mpozoensis (AMNH). Other endemic species include the elephantfish Campylomormyrus luapulaensis (FishBase) and Marcusenius schilthuisiae (AMNH), a barb Barbus janssensi (FishBase), a mochokid catfish Synodontis robertsi (PlanetCatfish), and several killifish: Aphyosemion congicum (Killifish of West Africa), Aphyosemion labarrei (Killifish of West Africa), and Hypsopanchax platysternus (Killifish of West Africa).

Insects known only from the Democratic Republic of the Congo include several butterflies: Charaxes thysi (Albertine Rift Butterflies), Graphium olbrechtsi (metafro), Acraea hecqui (metafro), Mylothris celisi (metafro), Spindasis dufranei (metafro), and Alaena unimaculosa (metafro). Other endemic invertebrates include a stag beetle Nigidius seguyi (Lucanidae du Monde), a damselfly Platycypha eliseva (Africa Dragonfly), an ant Pyramica inquilina (Ants of Africa), a jumping spider Alfenus calamistratus (jumping-spiders.com), and a freshwater crab Potamonautes idjiwiensis (IUCN Red List).

Endemic plant genera include Karina (JSTOR), Lebrunia (JSTOR), Nelmesia (JSTOR), Blighiopsis (JSTOR), Pseudomacrolobium (JSTOR), Chevalierella (JSTOR), and Bampsia (JSTOR). Other plants unique to the country include the cycads Encephalartos schaijesii (Cycad Pages) and Encephalartos ituriensis (Cycads-n-Palms.com), Argocoffeopsis kivuensis (JSTOR), Spermacoce heteromorpha (Botanicus), and the orchids Angraecum mofakoko (JSTOR), Bulbophyllum horridulum (JSTOR), and Habenaria katangensis (JSTOR).

The DRC's Albertine Rift region (Albertine Rift Programme) is part of the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspots). The Congo Basin (WWF) is one of the world's richest areas for animals and plants. Important areas in the country include the Northeastern Congolian Lowland Forests (WWF) and the Salonga region (CARPE pdf file). The Congo River (WWF) and Lake Tanganyika (FEOW) are two of the world's top areas for endemic freshwater species. Congo tributaries such as the Kasai (FEOW) are noteworthy for unique fauna in their own right.