Scientists from Belgium and the Republic of Congo have described a new species of African tetra from the middle Congo River drainage in the latest issue of Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters.
The new species, named Distichodus teugelsi after the late Belgian ichthyologist Guy Teugels by Victor Mamonekene and Emmanuel Vreven, is distinguished from congeners except D. decemmaculatus in having only a single row (vs. two) of bicuspid teeth on the lower jaw.
It differs from D. decemmaculatus in having fewer scales around the caudal peduncle and in lacking dark spots on the sides of the body.
Distichodus teugelsi was collected in areas with aquatic plants, in waters with pH 4.2"4.5, a very low conductivity (6.6 Scm-1) and a dissolved oxygen concentration of 2.41 mgl-1.
For more information, see the paper: Mamonekene, V and E Vreven (2008) Distichodus teugelsi, a new distichodontid from the middle Congo River basin, Africa (Characiformes: Distichodontidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters 19, pp. 97"102.