Aphyosemion flammulatum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse, 2018

Agnèse, Jean-François, Chirio, Laurent, Legros, Olivier, Oslisly, Richard & Bhé, Hervé Mvé, 2018, Unexpected discovery of six new species of Aphyosemion (Cyprinodontiformes, Aplocheilidae) in the Wonga-Wongué Presidential Reserve in Gabon, European Journal of Taxonomy 471, pp. 1-28 : 13-14

Aphyosemion flammulatum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EEF24797-1B05-4D20-BCCB-A3336028C798

Fig. 4 E–H, Table 4

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the colour of the tip of the dorsal fin in this species (bright orange).

Material examined

Holotype

GABON: adult ♁, 36.2 mm SL (42 mm TL), lower Aloumbé River , 0.39594 S, 9.30772 E, 30 m a.s.l., field reference code CHRSP2 - Aloumbé, 11 Apr. 2014, Laurent Chirio leg. ( MRAC 2016-019 -P-11).

Paratypes

GABON: 3 ♁♁, 4 ♀♀, 29.4 –42.4 mm SL, same collection data as for holotype ( MRAC 2016-019-P- 12–18).

Differential diagnosis

Differs from all other species in the A. alpha group through combination of following features: head intense orange, flanks purplish-blue, ventral region bluish (vs never same colour pattern), anal fin purplish-blue, with no punctuation except for some black macules in basal region and irregular submarginal red band (vs anal fin orange with or without punctuation, anal fin blue-orange with no punctuation; regular or no submarginal red band). Differs from all other species of Chromaphyosemion with black alpha-shaped mark in pre- and post-opercular region (vs no alpha-shaped mark, only a few red macules).

Colouration of live males ( Fig. 4E )

FLANKS AND VENTER. Flanks purplish-blue with two very dark and often visible lateral stripes, three lines of very dark red dots from operculum to caudal peduncle. Ventral region bluish-white with some blue iridescent scales between end of anal fin and caudal peduncle. Dorsal region brown, two rows of paradorsal yellow-orange scales in dorsal region, from operculum to caudal peduncle, with two lines of carmine red dots.

HEAD. Very intense orange: premaxilla brown, mandible orange with black lower lips, brown supraorbital region, orange infraorbital region with black macule, orange pre-opercle, orange operculum with three black macules; black macules on pre- and post-opercular region reveal alpha-shaped mark.

FINS. Dorsal fin blue, orange distal portion near apex, rows of black dots between rays; very long orange acumen on apex. Anal fin purplish-blue, with no punctuation except for few black macules in basal region of fin, red, irregular submarginal band, blue marginal band, blue acumen. Caudal fin blue with orange portion in peduncle region, few red dots in basal region, very long red streaks in distal region and in upper and lower lobes, red, irregular submarginal band, blue marginal band, and acumen of very intense orange. Pelvic fins blue-orange, submarginal red band and blue marginal band. Pectoral fins with orange reflections.

Colouration of live females ( Fig. 4F )

FLANKS AND VENTER. Pale beige, with four lines of red and orange dots from opercle to caudal peduncle, and two very dark lateral stripes, venter yellow, white on basal portion. Two rows of paradorsal golden scales in dorsal region from operculum to start of anal fin with red dots, copper scales from start of anal fin to caudal peduncle, with red dots.

HEAD. Premaxilla brown, mandible yellow with black lower lips, brown supraorbital region, white infraorbital region with black macule, orange postorbital region with two red macules, orange preopercle, and orange opercle with five red dots.

FINS. Dorsal fin orange, rows of carmine red dots between rays. Anal fin orange in median portion, some red dots between the rays in posteromedian portion. Caudal fin orange near caudal peduncle, yelloworange with red dots in median portion, and translucent in distal portion. Pelvic fins translucent with orange reflection, blue reflection on edges. Pectoral fins translucent with orange reflection.

Colouration of ethanol-preserved males and females ( Fig. 4 G–H)

FLANKS AND VENTER. Flanks of males yellowish with no red dots, upper grey visible upper lateral stripe, venter yellowish. Two rows of paradorsal black scales in brown dorsal region from operculum to caudal peduncle. Flanks of females yellowish, four lines of red dots from opercle to caudal peduncle. Two rows of paradorsal black scales in yellowish dorsal region from operculum to the caudal peduncle.

HEAD. Head of male with black lower lips, infraorbital region with black macule, dark macules in postopercular region. Head of female with black lower lips, infraorbital region with red macule, and postopercular region with dark macules.

FINS. Male dorsal fin grey with rows of red dots between rays. Anal fin grey with no dots. Caudal fin grey with red dots in median portion and some carmine red streaks in upper and lower lobes. Female dorsal fin blue-orange with red dots. Anal fin blue-orange, caudal fin blue-orange in upper and lower regions, some red dots near peduncle region.

Distribution and habitat

This species has been found at only three localities (for two of them, specimens have not been studied or deposited in a museum) in the Aloumbé Basin or from a small, unnamed river just north of the Aloumbé River ( Table 1 , Fig. 1 ) and never elsewhere. It also seems to be endemic to this very small, littoral hydrographic basin. It lives in very small forest streams (less than 1 metre wide), with sandy or rocky bottoms. It hides among roots or dead leaves. This species was found in syntopy with an undescribed species of Aphyosemion .

Figures

Fig. 4. A–D. Aphyosemion cyanoflavum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov. A. Adult, ♁, from locality 9, not preserved. Photo by O. Buisson. B. Adult, ♀, from locality 9, not preserved. Photo by O. Buisson. C. Holotype, adult, ♁, from Lake Ndaminzé (MRAC 2016-019-P-1). D. Paratype, adult, ♀, from Lake Ndaminzé (MRAC 2016-019-P-2-10). E–H. A. flammulatum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov. E. Adult, ♁, from locality 4, not preserved. F. Adult, ♀, from locality 4, not preserved. G. Holotype, adult, ♁, from the lower Aloumbé River (MRAC 2016-019-P-11). H. Paratype, adult, ♀, from the lower Aloumbé River (MRAC 2016-019-P-12-18).

Fig. 1. Collecting sites of the different populations. Black circles: Aphyosemion alpha Huber, 1998; Black triangles: A. flavocyaneum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.; red triangle: A. flammulatum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.; yellow triangles: A. barakoniense Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.; red circles: A. pusillum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.; yellow circles: A. rubrogaster Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.; red squares: A. aurantiacum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov.