DesDescriptioncription
Costa, W.J.E.M. 2019. Two new species of seasonal killifishes of the
Nothobranchius melanospilus species Complex from the East
Africa Biodiversity Hotspot (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheilidae).
Vertebrate Zoology, 69 (1): 75, fig. 1.
Abstract
During a revision of material identified in museum collections as
Nothobranchius melanospilus, two new species were recognised:
N. kwalensis, new species, from the Ramisi River basin,
southeastem Kenya, and N. prognathus, new species, from the
upper Wami River basin, eastem Tanzania. Both new species are
distinguished from N. melanospilus by Ilse relative position of the
dorsal-fin origin in females, presence of dark dots an the whole
flank in females, the two sections of the anterior supraorbital
series of neuromasts well-separated, and presence of fewer
mandibular neuromasts. Nothobranchius prognathus is
distinguished from other species of the N. melanospilus complex
by the shape of the snout and eye, frontal squamation, and basal
portion of the pelvic fins medially united in males. Additional
moephometric characters were found informative to diagnose
species of the N. melanospilus complex.
Clasification
Genus: Nothobranchius
Subgenus:Adiniops
Group: melanospilus
Kenya
Type locality: Kikoneni-Mrima road, Ramisi River basin, Kwale {county},
about 35 m altitude, southeastern Kenya.04°28'26" S, 39°17'05" E,
Locations/codes
Notes
Status specie: Very discussed.
Discoverer(s): E. Holler, agosto de 1978.
In captivity : Limited data on captive breeding. Morphologically closely
related to N. melanospilus, hence its disputed validity as a distinct
species. Probably standard maintenance conditions for
Nothobranchius. Very rare in nature if its status as a species is
accepted.
Bibliography
Related:
Walpole, M. 1975. A visit to east Africa in search of the genus
Nothobranchius, Killi-News. British Killifish Association, (124): 1–6 & (125):
1–3. [collecting as Nothobranchius sp. Olago]
Bragança, P.H.N., D.U. Bellstedt, P.D.W. van der Merwe, F.P.D. Cotterill, B.R.
Watters & A. Chakona. 2022. Nothobranchius balamaensis
(Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae), a new species of annual killifish
from northern Mozambique. Zootaxa, 5174 (5): 508-524, figs. [kwalensis N.:
Gen/Sys]
Costa, 2019
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