~ 1 ~ International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2024; 12(4): 01-08 E-ISSN: 2347-5129 P-ISSN: 2394-0506 (ICV-Poland) Impact Value: 76.37 (GIF) Impact Factor: 0.549 IJFAS 2024; 12(4): 01-08 © 2024 IJFAS www.fisheriesjournal.com Received: 03-05-2024 Accepted: 07-06-2024 Zuheir N Mahmoud Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Sudan El Sadig A Hagar Department of Fisheries, College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Bahri, Sudan Mutasim YM Abdalla Fisheries Research Centre, Khashm El Girba, Sudan Corresponding Author: Zuheir N Mahmoud Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Sudan Fish diversity in the Nile system and ephemeral water bodies in Sudan: Records and a review Zuheir N Mahmoud, El Sadig A Hagar and Mutasim YM Abdalla DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/fish.2024.v12.i4a.2938 Abstract Freshwater fish diversity in the Nile and its tributaries, associated man-made Lakes and ephemeral water bodies in Sudan was investigated. There are 134 freshwater fish species falling in 64 genera and 27 families. The country fish fauna contains a mixture of Nilo-Sudanic and lower Nile basin to the South. The relative abundance showed that there are at least 111 species in White Nile, 73 in Blue Nile, 36 in Dinder River, 38 in Atbara River and 63 in the Nile. There are three introduced species Gambosia affinis, Gibelion catla and Oreochromis urolepis. In inland ephemeral water bodies five killifish were described from the Nuba mountains and Aphinus (= Cyprinodon) dispar was described from Khor Arbat few Km North of Port Sudan. The endemic species amount to 12+. The taxonomic status of 13 potentially new species need to be established. Keywords: Fish, diversity, new species, endemism, Sudan 1. Introduction According to Nyboer et al. [1] African has at least 3,300 freshwater fish species which constitute 10% of the world’s total; with cichlids representing 10% of its species (Leveque and Paugy) [2] . The geomorphology and climatic changes in Pilo-Peliocene in northern and eastern Africa severely changed its hydrology (Kathlyn and Stewart [3] ). This might have led to isolation of some fish fauna. The geological complexity and its associated ecoregions led to genetic diversity of its fish fauna (Basiita et al.,) [4] . Sudan is gifted with several water bodies. Its inland water is about 7,000 km in total length of rivers and a 7,400 km 2 of canalization system (El Moghraby) [5] . The aquatic biota is highly diverse including phytoplankton, hydrophytes, zooplankton, aquatic arthropods, fish and water associated vertebrates (Dumont) [6] . Its fish species is well documented (Sandon [7] ; Abu Gideiri [8] ; Abu Gideiri et al. [9] ; Bailey, 1994 and Neumann et al. [11] and the references therein). List of fish species of several parts of the Nile system were produced. For the White Nile see (Adam [12] ; Mosa et al. [13] ; Moritz et al. [14] and Mahmoud et al.) [15] . Published lists for the Blue Nile included (Abu Gideiri [16] ; Mishrigi [17] ; Mahmoud and Hagar [18] ). Lists for the Nile were due to (Mathiasson [19] ; George [20] ; Abu Gideiri and Ali [21] ; Adam [22] ; Ali [23] ; A/Halim et al. [24] and Mahmoud [25] ). Atbara River fish list was produced by (Ibrahim and Mahmoud [26] ). The Ichthyofauna of Dinder was studied by Mahmoud [27] , Adam et al. [28] and Hagar and Mahmoud [29] . During the course of fish parasites investigations several locality records of fish were given (Mahmoud [30] ). The objective of this works is to list, compare diversity and similarity of fish species in the Nile system and the ephemeral water bodies in Sudan. Material and Methods Source of data Experimental fishing (Moritz et al. [14] and Mahmoud et al. [15] ; A/Halim et al. [24] ; Ibrahim and Mahmoud [26] ; Mahmoud [27] ) and inspection of commercial fish catch at different landing sites (Mahmoud et al. [15] and Mahmoud [25] ) was performed. In addition, desk information including the work of Chambers [31] , Bellemans [32, 33] , Valdesalici [34] and Valdesalici et al. [35] from ephemeral water bodies of Nuba mountains, constituted the material of this paper.