Shrew trap efficiency: experience from primary forest, secondary forest, old fallow land and old palm plantation in the Congo River basin (Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo)

AbstractMost of the current knowledge about African tephritids originates from studies performed in agricultural areas, while information about their distribution in pristine or moderately disturbed environments is extremely scarce. This study aims at (i) describing levels of spatial variability of frugivorous tephritids in tropical forests and small rural villages of the Congo River basin and (ii) verifying if human-mediated activities, such as small-scale agriculture and trade, can affect their distribution patterns. Four locations were sampled along a 250 km stretch of the Congo River. At each location, pristine and disturbed habitats (i.e. tropical forests and small rural villages, respectively) were sampled, with three replicate sites in each combination of habitat and location. Sampling with modified McPhail traps baited with four different attractants yielded 819 tephritid specimens of 29 species from seven genera (Bactrocera, Carpophthoromyia, Ceratitis, Dacus, Celidodacus, Perilampsis, Trirhithrum). The three most abundant species sampled (Dacus bivittatus, D. punctatifrons, Bactrocera invadens) showed significant variations in abundance across locations and sites and accounted for 98.29% of the overall dissimilarity between habitats. Assemblages differed among locations and sites while they showed significant differences between pristine and disturbed habitats in two out of the four locations. This study shows that frugivorous tephritids in central Congo have remarkably patchy distributions with differences among locations and sites representing the main source of variability. Our data show that, in rural villages of central Democratic Republic of Congo, human activities, such as small-scale agriculture and local commerce, are not always sufficient to promote differences between the tephritid assemblages of villages and those of the surrounding tropical forests.

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Birds of the Man and Biosphere Reserve of Luki, Bas-Congo province, Democratic Republic of Congo

Check List ◽

10.15560/11.5.1755 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1755

Author(s):

Tobit L.D. Liyandja ◽

Michael J. Andersen ◽

Carl H. Oliveros ◽

Lem’s N. Kalemba ◽

Trésor L. Bakambana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Forest Patch ◽

Republic Of Congo ◽

Psittacus Erithacus ◽

Congo River ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Audio Recordings ◽

Detailed List

The Democratic Republic of Congo holds the most diverse assemblage of birds in Africa. However, ornithological surveys in its network of reserves are rare. In this paper we pre-sent the first detailed list of birds from the Man and Biosphere Reserve of Luki in the country’s southwestern tip based on collected specimens, photographs, audio recordings, and direct observations from two surveys conducted in 2012–2013. We document a total of 136 species, including the threatened Psittacus erithacus. Range extensions of four species and breeding records for 19 species are also reported. Further surveys in the reserve, which covers the largest remaining forest patch along the Lower Congo River, are highly recommended.

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Survival and Movement of the Congo Forest Mouse (Deomys ferrugineus): A Comparison of Primary Rainforest and Fallow Land in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo†

African Zoology ◽

10.3377/004.047.0113 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 147-159

Author(s):

Jan Kennis ◽

Crespin Laurent ◽

Nicaise Drazo Amundala ◽

Akaibe Migimiru Dudu ◽

Herwig Leirs

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽

Fallow Land ◽

Republic Of Congo

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The flies of the family Hybotidae (Diptera, Empidoidea) collected during the Boyekoli Ebale Congo 2010 Expedition in Democratic Republic of Congo

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3603.1.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3603 (1) ◽

pp. 1-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

PATRICK GROOTAERT ◽

IGOR SHAMSHEV

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

New Records ◽

Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽

Type Material ◽

Republic Of Congo ◽

Congo River ◽

The Family ◽

New Material

Thirty-two species of Hybotidae (Diptera: Empidoidea) were collected during the Boyekoli Ebale Congo 2010 Expedition that took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo along the Congo River between Kisangani and Bumba. Only four species were known previously. Here we present new records for Syndyas crisis Garrett Jones, 1940 and Crossopalpus aenescens (Wiedemann, 1830). In addition Syneches elevatus Bezzi, 1908 and Crossopalpus quadrispina (Collart, 1934) are re-described based on the type material as well as on new material. Elaphropeza ghesquierei (Collart, 1934) and E. plagiata (Bezzi, 1908) were not found during the expedition, but are also re-described. Twenty-five species are described as new to science: Crossopalpus yaekela sp. nov., Drapetis congoensis sp. nov., D. yaekelaensis sp. nov., D. zamba sp. nov., Elaphropeza angulata sp. nov., E. baeloi sp. nov., E. congoensis sp. nov., E. excavata sp. nov., E. furcata sp. nov., E. incerta sp. nov., E. infuscata sp. nov., E. interrupta sp. nov., E. juakalyi sp. nov., E. kona sp. nov., E. laudisoitae sp. nov., E. mai sp. nov., E. monoseta sp. nov., E. motane sp. nov., E. moyindo sp. nov., E. nuda sp. nov., E. yaekela sp. nov., E. zamba sp. nov., Stilpon congoensis sp. nov., S. variabilis sp. nov. and Syndyas zamba sp. nov. A species of Drapetis and Crossopalpus recorded from females only are diagnosed, but not named.

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