SPECIES RICHNESS AND CONSERVATION OF NAMIBIAN FRESH-WATER MACROINVERTEBRATES, FISH AND AMPHIBIANS

Namibia is an arid country but has a diverse array of wetland habitats ranging from ephemeral water bodies and rain-pools, artesian springs supporting small perennial pools and streams, to the large perennial r ivers of thr: north-east with their associated floodplains. These rive rs drain welter areas north of Namibia and contribute many tropical sp ecies to Namibia's wetlands. There are 778 described species of macro- invertebrates representing eight phyla with 81 endemics. Many inverteb rates still have to be identified or described but presently the great est endemism occurs among the Ostracoda(18 species:), Coleoptera (17), Diptera (14), Anostraca (six) and Amphipoda (five species). In total, Namibia has 50 species of frog with three endemics. No caecilians or salamanders occur in Namibia. There are 114 species of freshwater fish with five endemics. Most Namibian wetlands occur outside protected ar eas. Over-exploitation of wetland resources and flow regulation are cu rrently major threats, but new environmental legislation being formula ted is based on the goal of sustainable use.