Aphyosemion mandoroense

description

‘ Aphyosemion ’ mandoroense is distinguished from the ‘ A ’. ocellatum populations with blue sides by the three or four rows of red dots on anterior side, the light blue opercule versus a dark red blotch posterior to operculum, and yellow or orange operculum, and from those with a more brownish to orange body colour by the blue side colour, absence of dark red blotch posterior to operculum and blue operculum. ‘ Aphyosemion ’ ocellatum in addition has darker and broader fin margins on pelvic, anal, dorsal, and upper and lower caudal fin. The superficially most similar ‘ A ’. citrineipinnis and ‘ A ’. ocellatum also have a reduced red pigmentation on fins, but usually at least traces of a red stripe at the base of the anal fin is present. Base of anal fin in ‘ A ’. citrineipinnis blue, central to distal part yellow versus completely yellow in ‘ A ’. mandoroense. Unpaired fin margins in ‘ A ’. mandoroense dark grey to black versus no or very narrow dark fin margin in ‘ A ’. citrineipinnis. Many ‘ A ’. citrineipinnis populations usually show a prominent " wound mark ", a group of dark red scales just behind the operculum, that is always absent in ‘ A ’. mandoroense, which shows three o

Three new endemic Aphyosemion species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from the Massif du Chaillu in the upper Louessé River system, Republic of the Congo

diagnosis

Diagnosis. (Figs 10 – 11, Table 6) Males of ‘ A ’. mandoroense are distinguished from all other Aphyosemion s. l. species by the lack of red pigmentation on its fins, except for the posterior margin of the dorsal fin in some specimens. DNA data (Fig. 4) and male colour pattern place it into the ‘ A ’. coeleste group. ‘ Aphyosemion ’ mandoroense can be distinguished by its diagnostic male colouration pattern from all other species of the ‘ A ’. coeleste group by the nearly complete absence of red in unpaired fins, versus red margins or submarginal stripes in all other species except ‘ A ’. ocellatum, which shows faint red areas in the unpaired fin centre of some individuals. The new species is distinguished from all other species except ‘ A ’. ocellatum and ‘ A ’. passaroi by its dark grey to black margins of unpaired fins. It is distinguished from ‘ A ’. passaroi by the nearly complete absence of red in fins, blue side and opercule versus basal broad red stripe in anal fin and orange to brownish or pinkish side and opercule.

Three new endemic Aphyosemion species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from the Massif du Chaillu in the upper Louessé River system, Republic of the Congo

distribution

Distribution and habitat. ‘ Aphyosemion ’ mandoroense is currently only known from the tributaries of the upper Mandoro River (Louessé basin) in south-western Congo, where it occurs sympatric and sometimes syntopic with ‘ A ’. coeleste or ‘ A ’. cryptum, new species. In the Leyou River it occurs syntopic with ‘ A ’. coeleste and ‘ A ’. cyanoflavum.

Three new endemic Aphyosemion species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from the Massif du Chaillu in the upper Louessé River system, Republic of the Congo

etymology

Etymology. The species is named after the Mandoro River, a tributary of the Louessé River in the southern Massif du Chaillu in the Republic of the Congo.

Three new endemic Aphyosemion species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from the Massif du Chaillu in the upper Louessé River system, Republic of the Congo