Epiplatys chaperi sheljuzhkoi Poll 1953

Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Meaning of Name

After Leo Sheljuzhko who collects fish for the Werner Aquarium importers of München, Germany.
First Description

Poll M. 1953.

Description de deux Cyprinodontidae nouveaux de la Cote d'Ivoire.

Revue de Zoologie et de /Botanique Africaines 48 (3-4): p 261-265, figure 1.
Size

7.5 cm
Meristics
  • D = 11, A = 16, D/A = +9-10, ll = 28-30 (+2) (Poll 1953)
  • D = 11-12, A = 15-18, D/A = +9-10, ll = 28-30 (Radda & Pürzl 1987)
Karyotype

n = 25, A = 26 (Scheel 1974)
Sub-Genus

Epiplatys
Group

chaperi
Synonyms
  • Epiplatys sheljuzhkoi Poll 1953
  • Epiplatys macrostigma (non Boulenger 1911) Meder 1953
  • Epiplatys dageti (non Poll 1953) Axelrod & Schultz 1955
  • Epiplatys sheljuzhkoi sheljuzhkoi Klee 1963
  • Epiplatys sheljuzhkoi spillmanni (non Arnoult 1960) Klee 1963 (in part)
  • Epiplatys chaperi sheljuzhkoi Arnoult & Daget 1964
  • Aplocheilus chaperi sheljuzhkoi Scheel 1990Epiplatys chevalieri sheljuzhkoi Meinken, in Holly, Meinken & Rachow, undated.
Populations
  • Abidjan (southern Ivory Coast)
  • Bonoua (southern Ivory Coast)
  • Dabou
  • Kouassi Periza (southern Ivory Coast)
  • Lakota
  • Mono River (Togo)
  • Plantation Rouchard
  • Sassandra
  • Tikawbo (southwestern Ghana)

Ivory Coast. Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Ivory Coast. Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Wild male collected west of Abidjan.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Bonoua -

E.chaperi sheljuzhkoi Bonoua, Ivory Coast. Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   

Mono River -

Wild male collected from the Mono River, Togo.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Mono River. Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

 

Yasap -

Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

    
Type Locality

In the surrounding area of Abidjan (Ivory Coast).
Distribution

Coastal lowlands of Ivory Coast from the lower Sassandra River drainage system eastwards to southwestern Ghana in the Tano River drainage system.

http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c102/c102mr/epiplaty/sheljuzh.htm
Habitat

Small rivers, creeks & swampy areas in coastal lowland. Usually found under rainforest cover. They are reportedly very abundant in the swamps surrounding Abidjan to at least 85 km in a northerly direction from Abidjan towards Agboville.
Distinguishing Characteristics  
Colour/Pattern Variability Medium.
History

Poll described Epiplatys sheljuzhkoi in 1953 from a male & female which he received from Roloff. These were caught near Abidjan, Ivory Coast by Sheljuhko. They were distributed as E.macrostigma for a time in the early 1950's in Germany & the US.
In 1962 Clausen sent Scheel live individuals from Ayenasi & Tikawbo, southwest Ghana. He also sent individuals from Abra & Angona which were referred to as chaperi.
Breeding Notes

An easy subspecies to breed. Eggs are deposited in top & bottom mops & take around 14 days of water incubation. Sexual maturity takes around 5 months.

This subspecies can be quite prolific.
Diameter of Egg  
Remarks

Some authors feel that this subspecies may well be part of Epiplatys chaperi. Future work may see them become a synonym.