West African Fish Diversity — Distribution Patterns and Possible Conclusions for Conservation Strategies

West African fish diversity was investigated in regard to distribution patterns and species composition of different ichthyofaunal provinces. The coastal rivers region covers only a fraction of West Africa, but harbour 322 of West African’s fish species, with 247 restricted to this area and 129 restricted even to small ranges (here: smaller than 40.000 km2). The central rivers fauna, however, comprises 194 fish species, with 119 endemics and only 33 restricted to small areas. While habitat protection is of primary importance in the Guinea regions for preserving its fish diversity there, the actual threats in the Sahelo-Sudan region are different, where additional regulations on fishing techniques are necessary to conserve the diversity of the West African fishes.