Kneria Explained

Kneria is a genus of small fish in the family Kneriidae. All 13 species in this genus are restricted to Africa.

Named in honor of Austrian ichthyologist Rudolf Kner (1810-1869)^[1]

Species

FishBase lists 13 species:

• Kneria angolensis Steindachner, 1866
• Kneria ansorgii (Boulenger, 1910)
• Kneria auriculata (Pellegrin, 1905) (Airbreathing shellear)
• Kneria katangae Poll, 1976
• Kneria maydelli Ladiges & Voelker, 1961 (Cunene kneria)
• Kneria paucisquamata Poll & D. J. Stewart, 1975
• Kneria polli Trewavas, 1936 (Western shellear)
• Kneria ruaha Seegers, 1995
• Kneria rukwaensis Seegers, 1995
• Kneria sjolandersi Poll, 1967
• Kneria stappersii Boulenger, 1915
• Kneria uluguru Seegers, 1995
• Kneria wittei Poll, 1944

However there is another species, known as the Southern Kneria (Kneria sp. 'South Africa'),^[2] occurring only in the headwaters of a few tributaries of the Crocodile River, in the Inkomati River system of South Africa.^[3] It was initially declared a Critically Endangered species on the IUCN Red List in 2007,^{[2] [4]} but it was reassessed in 30 November 2016 as Endangered.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Order GONORYNCHIFORMES. 3 May 2013.
2. Web site: Kneria spp. . Glenn, C. R.. Earth's Endangered Creatures . 1 January 2016 . 30 December 2021.
3. Web site: Kneria sp nov south africa. Red List of South African Species. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) . 30 December 2021.
4. Book: The status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in Southern Africa. W.R.T.. Darwall. K.G. . Smith. D. . Tweddle . P. . Skelton. 2009 . International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and SAIAB. 978-2-8317-1126-3.
5. Roux, F. . Hoffman, A. . 2017. Kneria sp. nov. 'South Africa'. . IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 30 December 2021 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T63389A100190543.en . free .