Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Procatopodidae (African lampeyes) > Aplocheilichthyinae
Etymology: Aplocheilichthys: Greek, aploe, -es = simplicity + Greek, cheilos = lip + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Duméril.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 7.5 - 8.5; dH range: 12 - ?; non-migratory. Tropical; 24°C - 32°C (Ref. 1672)
Africa: from mouth of Senegal River in Senegal (Ref. 47311, 57259) to Cuanza River in Angola (Ref. 120641).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57259); 5.5 cm TL (female)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6 - 8; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 14. Diagnosis: Larger and deep-bodied ‘Lampeye’ species, slight lateral compression; dorsal fin rounded, anal fin trapezoid, caudal fin truncated; dorsal fin with 6-8 rays, anal fin with 11-14 rays, displacement between dorsal and anal fins 1/7-8; scales on the mid-lateral series 25-28 (Ref. 57259).
Colouration: Male colouration: the basic colour is pale grey-green to olive with a light blue iridescence on the sides; also present on the sides are 10-15 dark grey crossbars which, towards the front break up into spots; the dorsal and anal fins are yellow-green, with grey and silver spots at the base and some grey spots in the posterior parts, arranged into curved bands; the caudal fin is lemon yellow to pale orange with dark grey and silver spots at the upper and lower parts, followed by a narrow orange to red border; the central part of this fin has some curved grey crossbars (Ref. 57259). Female colouration: the body is a translucent silver-grey with a silver abdominal region and lacking the grey crossbars present on the male; all unpaired fins are colourless to pale yellow (Ref. 57259).
Found in brackish water, only rarely entering fresh or marine water (Ref. 57259). Found in coastal swamps, river mouths, lagoons, estuaries and mangrove swamps near beaches (Ref. 3788, 57259). Not a seasonal killifish. Is difficult to maintain in aquarium (Ref. 27139).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Huber, J.H., 1996. Killi-Data 1996. Updated checklist of taxonomic names, collecting localities and bibliographic references of oviparous Cyprinodont fishes (Atherinomorpha, Pisces). Société Française d'Ichtyologie, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, 399 p. (Ref. 27139)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00325 - 0.02939), b=3.14 (2.90 - 3.39), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
