Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire was a French naturalist who established the principle of "unity of composition". He was a colleague of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and expanded and defended Lamarck's evolutionary theories. Geoffroy's scientific views had a transcendental flavor and were similar to those of German morphologists like Lorenz Oken. He believed in the underlying unity of organismal design, and the possibility of the transmutation of species in time, amassing evidence for his claims through research in comparative anatomy, paleontology, and embryology. He is considered as a predecessor of the evo-devo evolutionary concept.
Polypterus is a genus of freshwater fish in the bichir family (Polypteridae) of order Polypteriformes. The type species is the Nile bichir. Fish in this genus live in various areas in Africa. Polypterus is the only known vertebrate to have lungs, but no trachea.
Corydoras geoffroy is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in coastal rivers in South America, and is found in Suriname and French Guiana.
Synodontis is the largest genus of mochokid catfishes. It is the biggest genus within the 10 genera and 190 different species in the family Mochokidae. Synodontis has over 131 different species within the genus. Synodontis are also known as squeakers, due to their ability to make stridulatory sounds through their pectoral fin spines when handled or disturbed. Synodontis make a sound that sounds like squeaking by rubbing their spines together. They do this when they have been frightened or when they become angry. Synodontis may also squeak when they are taken out of the water. These catfish are small- to medium-sized fish with many species exhibiting attractive spotted markings. Some species are also known for naturally swimming belly-up, earning the name upside-down catfish. Some of these species are Synodontis contractus and Synodontis nigriventris. While some of these species are known to swim upside down, another species, Synodontis multipunctatus, is a brood parasitic cuckoo catfish,there are two other species Synodontis petricola and Synodontis grandiops are also called brood parasitic cuckoo catfish.
Bagrus is a genus of bagrid catfishes. These are relatively large catfish found in freshwater habitats in Africa, except for the virtually unknown B. tucumanus from South America, which likely is a synonym of Luciopimelodus pati.
The Malayan softshell turtle is a species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae. It is monotypic in its genus.
The Greek snake skink is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae.
Savigny's fringe-fingered lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to western North Africa.
Synodontis membranaceus, known as the moustache catfish, is a species of upside-down catfish that is native to northern Africa. It was first described by French naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1809 as Pimelodus membranaceus, from specimens obtained in the Nile River. The species name membranaceus refers to membranes present on the barbels of the fish.
Rhinoptera is a genus of ray commonly known as the cownose rays. This genus is the only member of the family Rhinopteridae.
Chrysichthys is a genus of claroteid catfishes native to Africa. Two fossil species are known. Chrysichthys macrotis, Van Neer, 1994, is known from the Miocene-Pliocene of the Albertine Rift in Uganda and Chrysichthys mahengeensis, Murray & Budney, 2003, is known from the Eocene of Mahenge, Tanzania.
Auchenoglanis is a genus of relatively large, up to 70 cm (2.3 ft) SL, claroteid catfishes native to various freshwater habitats in Africa.
Heterobranchus is a genus of airbreathing catfishes native to Africa. However, H. palaeindicus, an extinct species of the genus, was discovered in the Siwalik Hills, India, dating to the Lower Pliocene.
Heterobranchus boulengeri is a species of airbreathing catfish found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is found in Lake Mweru, the Lukonzolwa River and the upper Congo River.
Phrynops geoffroanus, also commonly known as Geoffroy's side-necked turtle and Geoffroy's toadhead turtle, is a species of large side-necked turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to South America.
Phrynops hilarii, also commonly known as Hilaire’s side-necked turtle and Hilaire's toadhead turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle in the family Chelidae. The species is endemic to South America.
Gyrodactylidae is a family of flatworms in the order Gyrodactylidea.
Citharodactylus is a genus of monogeneans in the family Gyrodactylidae. It consists of one species, Citharodactylus gagei Přikrylová, Shinn & Paladini, 2017.
Citharinus citharus, commonly called moonfish or mleke, is a species of lutefish from tropical Africa.
The Golden Nile Catfish, Chrysichthys auratus is a species of fish belonging to the family Claroteidae.
