Aphyosemion pamaense

description

Description. See Figs. 2 – 5 for general appearance of A. pamaense, Table 2 for morphometric data of holotype and paratypes. Coloration of live males. The anterior part of the body, from the lower jaw to the pelvic fins, is orange (Fig. 2). This colouration tapers at the beginning of the anal fin. The lower lip is bluish, the area below the eye is purplish blue with a thin red horizontal line. The opercular spot is barely visible while there are three oblique and sinuous red lines just behind the eye. Sides are blue-grey, blue or purple depending on the mood or light intensity. There are two rows of paradorsal red scales from the operculum to the caudal peduncle on a yellow bright orange background. Two other less visible red lines are on the flanks, from the operculum to the mid body. The ventral region close to the caudal peduncle is underlined with 12 or 13 red dots. The dorsal fin has an orange centre on a greenish background. There are rows of carmine red spots between the rays and streaks close to the edges, especially at the apex of the posterior side are visible. Anal fin is intense orange without any spots with a blue marginal band and a red submarginal band topped with a

Aphyosemion pamaense, a new killifish species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from Cameroon

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Aphyosemion pamaense belongs to the subgenus Chromaphyosemion Radda, 1971, as it is characterized by the presence of two dark lateral bands in both sexes, these bands may disappear in males depending on the mood of the fish. The caudal fin is shaped with pronounced dorsal and ventral streamers in males. Streamers are also present in the dorsal and anal fins. The species is also characterized by 9 – 14 dorsal rays, and 11 – 16 anal rays. The new species (Figs. 2 – 5) differs from all other Chromaphyosemion species by the following combination of characters observed in males: orange background of the unpaired fins, anal fin without any spots, orange throat, purple to blue-grey flanks. The new species differs from A. splendopleure and from A. volcanum by the head and front of the body that are orange versus yellow; blue-grey to violet flanks with few red dots on scales versus blue to pinkish flanks with five or six lines composed of red dots from the post opercular zone to the caudal peduncle; unpaired fins totally orange versus yellow-green with sometimes an orange zone in the anal and caudal fins (Male in Fig. 2 is young and its unpaired fins are not yet fully orange). In

Aphyosemion pamaense, a new killifish species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from Cameroon

distribution

Distribution and habitat. Aphyosemion pamaense is only known from the type locality in the surroundings of Pama, from the head of the Pama River, which belongs to the Nyong basin. It is a small stream in the forest, about 3 m wide and 0.4 m deep with a muddy or sandy bottom (Figs. 6 & 7). At the end of the dry season (generally in February) the stream stops flowing and the water turns green due to algae growth. The other Cyprinodontiforms species that have been found in syntopy with A. pamaense are Epiplatys infrafasciattus (Günther, 1866), Aphyosemion edeanum Amiet, 1987, and Procatopus similis Ahl, 1927. All these species have a larger distribution. Genetic characterisation. A 1028 base-pair alignment for cytochrome b region from the mitochondrial genome was obtained after trimming the ends of each sequence. A total of 68 specimens were sequenced. One specimen per out-group species was sequenced while for Chromaphyosemion species, two specimens per populations were sequenced. These two specimens usually have identical haplotypes except for population 3 were two different haplotypes (differing by one mutation) were found. In specimens from populations 13 and 15 we found the same h

Aphyosemion pamaense, a new killifish species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from Cameroon

materials_examined

Holotype. MRAC B 2 - 08 - P- 1. Adult male, 29.7 mm SL (38.4 mm T. L.), Cameroon, 1.6 km east of Pama village in the direction of Béla. Small brook forming the upper part of the river Pama, Nyong basin, 03 ° 16.420 N, 10 ° 05.235 E, 24 Feb. 2010, Field number code ADK- 10 - 323, collectors Jean-François Agnèse, Cyrile Dening, Grégoire Kayoum. Paratypes. MRAC B 2 - 08 - P- 2. Adult female, 27.9 mm SL, collected with the holotype. MRAC B 2 - 08 - P- 3 - 20. One female and 17 males, 20.6 – 28.4 mm SL. Non types: MRAC B 2 - 08 - P- 21 - 27. Seven juveniles, collected with the holotype.

Aphyosemion pamaense, a new killifish species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from Cameroon