The status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in western Africa

Lack of readily available information on the status and distribution of inland water taxa in western Africa explains why biodiversity is often poorly represented within the development planning process. In response to this need for information, a regional assessment of the status and distribution of 1,395 taxa of freshwater fishes, molluscs, odonates, crabs, and selected families of aquatic plants from across western Africa was conducted. It is hoped that these findings and the data compiled here can now be made available to the relevant decision makers and stakeholders in a format that can be easily understood and readily integrated within the decision-making process.