# Genetic evidence for the rediscovery in the wild of the critically endangered Sahara killifish Apricaphanius saourensis (Cyprinodontiformes: Aphaniidae)

## TL;DR

Scientists used genetic analysis to confirm the rediscovery of a critically endangered fish species in the wild.

## Contribution

Genetic evidence confirms the rediscovery of the Sahara killifish in the Guir River.

## Key findings

- Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses support the Guir River population as A. saourensis.
- The population is located 115 km from the original type locality of A. saourensis.
- This finding suggests the species is not extinct in the wild.

## Abstract

Apricaphanius saourensis was described in 2006 from the Saoura River in western Algeria, and is currently listed as possibly extinct in the wild. We recently discovered an aphaniid population in a very isolated secondary wadi of the Guir River about 115 Km northwest of A. saourensis’ type locality, which we hypothesized could belong to A. saourensis based on images taken from living individuals. We report here results of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses that suggest that this Guir River population indeed represents the rediscovery in the wild of A. saourensis.