GBG 93 / 30
Photo courtesy of Michael Pidwirny
| Meaning of Name |
After the country they inhabit - Gabon. This was formerly a German colony hence the spelling Gabun. | |||||||||
| First Description |
Radda A.C. 1975. Contribution to the knowledge of Cyprinodonts of Gabon, with the description of four new species and one new subspecies of the genus Aphyosemion Myers. Killi-News 118 (seperate): 17-18, figure 11. BKA. | |||||||||
| Size |
5 cm, females slightly smaller. | |||||||||
| Meristics |
D = 11-12, A = 13, ll = 28 (+2-3) (Radda 1975) (D/A = +6 ?) | |||||||||
| Karyotype |
n = 19, A = 26 (Scheel 1990) | |||||||||
| Sub-Genus |
Mesoaphyosemion | |||||||||
| Group |
striatum | |||||||||
| Synonyms |
Aphyosemion gabunense gabunense Radda & Huber 1977 | |||||||||
Populations
|
G80 / 12 - First introduced to the BKA by Species Import Committee in September 1981. | |||||||||
| Type Locality |
Small stream between Lambaréné & Fougamou on NR 1 (National Road). Approximately 30 km southeast of Lambaréné towards Mouila; northwest Gabon. Found with Aphyosemion ogoense. | |||||||||
| Distribution |
A small area in the region of Bifoum, north western Gabon in the lower Ogowe & lower N'goumé River drainages. Northerly they are replaced by Aphyosemion striatum. South, they are replaced by the A.exigoideum group. | |||||||||
| Habitat |
Coastal rainforest swamps & brooks. | |||||||||
| Distinguishing Characteristics | Difficult to confuse this sp. with other Aphyosemion. Heavy red margins to all unpaired fins. Distinguished from A.boehmi (formerly A.gabunense boehmi) which has a yellow outer marginal band in the lower caudal fin. | |||||||||
| Colour/Pattern Variability | Low | |||||||||
| History |
Discovered by the German collector Herr Herzog in the later months of 1973 in a small stream in primary rainforest between Lambaréné & Fougamou near the Route National No.1, 30 kms south west of Lambaréné. In the early part of 1975 Fred Wright (BKA) had this sp. & was unsure of its identity. Radda was visiting at the time & identified them as he had described them as a new sp. in this year. Collected by Huber & Radda in 1976 near Issinga, 43 kms from Fougamou towards Lambaréné. This was location G 76/32. | |||||||||
| Breeding Notes |
Eggs laid in top mops. Early breeding reports
in the BKA suggested they lay in the top most part of floating mops.
Spawning occurs in periods so a period of seperation would be beneficial.
The clear eggs water incubate for 18-22 days at 72°F. Fry accept
newly hatched brine shrimp. Growth rate is quite slow with sexual maturity
being reached in 5-6 months & full size around 8-9 months. Frank Cochrane in BKA Newsletter No.342, March 1994 reported eggs being laid on peat fibre & bottom mops with a few in floating mops. He also reported slow growth. Water temperature 22°C, pH 7. Eggs produced 20-24 in a day with the majority found in the peat fibre. Fry are small on hatching & stay near the surface. | |||||||||
| Diameter of Egg | 1·2mm | |||||||||
| Remarks |
|
