Insight into trophic niche differentiation in Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae) in the Luhoho Basin (Upper Congo Basin)

Mouth morphology plays a crucial role in determining the trophic ecology of fish and sometimes underpins important lineage diversification. Freshwater teleost fish species belonging to the genus Labeobarbus, commonly found in Africa, exhibit intra- and interspecific variation and differences in the lower jaw occurring within and between species, respectively. Different phenotypes include a curved U-shape (‘rubberlips’), a straight lower jaw (‘chiselmouth’) and an intermediate morphology known as the smiling phenotype. In some cases, smiling originates from hybridisation between chiselmouth and rubberlips. However, the trophic relationships of different mouth morphologies in the Labeobarbus taxa are still not well understood, particularly in the Congo Basin. Understanding the trophic ecology of Labeobarbus can enhance understanding of adaptive processes in morphologically diverse lineages. This study aims to investigate how differences in mouth morphology among m..., In the field, specimens were collected using cast nets, with most fishing activities taking place during the daytime. For each specimen captured, morphometric data, as well as gut and muscle samples from the right side of the fish body, were taken. In the laboratory, the gut contents were analysed along and stable isotopic data. The methodology is described in detail in the paper., , # Data from: Insight into trophic niche differentiation in Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae) in the Luhoho Basin (Upper Congo Basin)

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qfttdz0s9](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qfttdz0s9)

## Description of the data and file structure

Organizing fieldwork. Collecting fish specimens. Taking standard length and mouth width. MCollecting guts and muscles. Analysing the guts. Conducting laboratory work for stable isotopic analysis.

The attached data file contains raw data based on a paper about the trophic ecology of Labeobarbus in the Luhoho Basin (Upper Congo) was prepared. This file includes three Excel spreadsheets, each corresponding to a section of the analysis conducted in our study. The first spreadsheet contains morphometric data, the second includes raw gut content data, and the third provides stable isotopic data. Each row in these datasets associates the species name with the respective locality and the corresponding data of the specimen.

### Files and vari...,