After Professor Jacques Daget a French ichthyologist.

Poll M. 1953.

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

Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines 48 (3-4): p 265-268, figure.

5.5 cm

• D = 9, A = 14-16, D/A = +9-11, ll = 26 (+2-3) (Poll 1953)
• D = 7, A = 14, ll = 25 (Peters 1864)
• D = 9-10, A = 15-16, (Arnoult & Daget 1964)
• D = 8-9, A = 14-16, D/A = +9-10, ll = 26-28 (Scheel 1968)

n = 25, A = 46 (Scheel 1990)

Epiplatys

chaperi

• Lycocyprinis sexfasciatus Peters 1868
• Haplochilus sexfasciatus (non Gill 1862) Günther 1866
• Haplochilus spilauchen (non Duméril 1861) Garman 1895 (in part)
• Haplochilus infrafasciatus (non Günther 1866) Steindachner 1895 (in part)
• Haplochilus chaperi (non Sauvage 1882) Arnould 1908
• Panchax chaperi (non Sauvage 1882) Rachow 1928
• Epiplatys chaperi (non Sauvage 1882) Baake 1930
• Epiplatys sexfasciatus (non Gill 1862) Fowler 1950
• Epiplatys dageti monroviae Arnoult & Daget 1964
• Aplocheilus dageti Scheel 1974
• Epiplatys dageti dageti Berkenkamp 1975
• Aplocheilus dageti dageti Scheel 1990
• Aplocheilus dageti monroviae Scheel 1990
• Haplochilus (Lycocyprinis) dageti monroviae Huber 1994
• Epiplatys (Lycocyprinis) dageti dageti Huber 1994

• Aboisso
• Awiebo (southwestern Ghana)
• Grand Bassam (southern Ivory Coast)
• Harbel - EP 82 (monroviae)
• Monrovia (monroviae)(southern Liberia)
• Nkawanta GH 96
• Port Bouet (near Abidjan) 1952 collection
• Robertsport ( monroviae )
• San Pedro
• Tabou (southwestern Ivory Coast)( monroviae )

• Awiebo - Collected by Stenholt Clausen 1962. Females developed a conspicious black band in the anal fin. Males exhibit a 'weak' sword in the lower caudal fin. Scheel found these to be a small population never getting over 41 mm total length.
• Port Bouet - Scheel noted these fish grew to 44 mm total length.
• Robertsport - http://home8.swipnet.se/%7Ew-86183/dageti.htm Alf & Anitas site.

E.dageti.
Photo courtesy of André Paes de Almeida

Given as a swamp 18km from Abidjan (southern Ivory Coast) but no direction is shown.

A coastal distribution from southwestern Liberia through into Ivory coast & western Ghana.

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

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

Coastal rainforest & mangrove swamps inhabiting small rivers, creeks & pools.

E.dageti showing characteristic chin colouration.
This can be yellow or orange variable within the sp. Photo courtesy of Allen Boatman.

Fairly easy sp. to differenciate. Popoulations can differ in throat colouration, being yellow to orange to red.

Described by Peter's in 1863 from a single specimen from Liberia. This was described as Poecilia sexfasciata.The genus Lycocyprinus was erected in 1868 by Peters with this sp. as its type species. However, this name (sexfasciata) was already in use with Gill's description of Epiplatys sexfasciatus.

Boulenger in 1915 & Myers in 1933 placed them as E.chaperi. Günther brought E.infrafaciatus into play suggesting they might represent jueveniles of this sp.

The first live import into Germany was recorded in 1908 which originated from Monrovia, Liberia. A pair from this shipment were bought by Arnold but the remainder were sold on & subsequently lost. Arnold's fish spawned & he sent the original fish (preserved) to Boulenger in London who identified them as chaperi. Arnold did not agree with this identification & sent Boulenger a further pair but Boulenger did not change his identification.

In 1952 (Autumn) Dr. L.Sheljuzhko of Germany collected fish for Werner of Munich. These collections were in the area of Abidjan, Ivory Coast & up to 50 miles north of this city. Fish were collected at Port Bouet & sent to Germany. Roloff sent material to Dr.M.Poll, Belgium who (in 1953) described them as E.dageti. This population lacked colour especially in the throat region & they quickly disappeared without any published article on them.

Clausen collected them in the summer of 1962 in swamps at Awiebo in southwest Ghana & not far from the type locality. This population was noted as having no throat colouration.

In the summer of 1963 sent Scheel live fish from a US import reportedly from 'Nigeria'. This was thought to represent a link between the Awiebo population & Arnold's chaperi.

Arnold distributed them under Boulenger's chaperi identification & this strain was still in captivity until at least 1965. Daget & Arnoult considered they should be renamed & in 1964 described them as Epiplatys dageti monroviae.

History of the synonym E.dageti monroviae Daget & Arnoult 1964.

Information has been shown above, but I have condensed the relevant pieces here for quick reference. Peters, in 1863, gave the first report of individuals but described them as Poecilia sexfasciata Peters 1863. This name was preoccupied by Gill's earlier description.
The earliest reports regarding live imports come from 1908. These were known as E.chaperi until at least 1964 (& perhaps later in aquarist circles) when Daget & Arnoult described them as E.dageti monroviae. This accounted for the confusion between both sp.
This seperation from E.dageti was given as the colour pattern of the throat of males & the dark crossbars on sides.

An easy species to breed laying eggs in top & bottom mops. Water incubation takes around 11-14 days at 70°F with sexual maturity at around 5 months. Parents will eat young fry so taking the eggs out is the safer option.

It has been noted in BKA newsletter NO. 86, October 1972 that soft water brings out the colours of this sp. whilst hard water produces the largest specimens.