Nimbapanchax melanopterygius, Sonnenberg, Rainer & Busch, Eckhard, 2009

Sonnenberg, Rainer & Busch, Eckhard, 2009, Description of a new genus and two new species of killifish (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from West Africa, with a discussion of the taxonomic status of Aphyosemion maeseni Poll, 1941, Zootaxa 2294, pp. 1-22 : 14-18

Nimbapanchax melanopterygius , new species

( Figs. 6A –D; Table 4 )

Holotype. ZFMK 41484, male, 42.9 mm SL, southeastern Guinea, Cavally River (7° 41.83' N, 8° 26.48' W), collection locality GF 06/2, E. Busch and B. Wiese, 15 May 2006.

Paratypes. ZFMK 41485–41487, 3 females, paratopotypes, collected with holotype. ZFMK 41488– 41493, 3 males, 3 females, southeastern Guinea, near Kementa in the Konkere river (7° 43.83' N, 8° 26.49' W), collection locality GF 06/1, E. Busch and B. Wiese, 15 May 2006. MRAC 2008-16 - P- 1–4, 2 males, 2 females, collected with ZFMK 41488–41493. ZSM 37485, 2 males, 2 females, collected with ZFMK 41488– 41493.

Diagnosis. Nimbapanchax melanopterygius ( Figs. 6A –D) is distinguished from Archiaphyosemion and all other Nimbapanchax species by the same diagnostic characters as N. leucopterygius (see above). Nimbapanchax melanopterygius is distinguished from N. leucopterygius ( Figs. 5A –D) by the absence of a pattern of vertical dark bars on side in male and female versus presence of a vertical pattern in young males and in live and at least freshly preserved females. Dark bars on side of females in N. melanopterygius are only rarely seen in frightened specimens. It is also distinguished from N. leucopterygius by a dark black or brown margin on the anal fin in males, sometimes with a white submarginal stripe, and mainly blue-green center of anal and caudal fin with some brown or reddish-brown irregular blotches in males versus a white marginal and brown or dark red submarginal band in anal fin and a denser pattern of small brown or dark red dots on bluegreen center in dorsal, anal, and caudal fin.

Description. See Figures 6A –D for overall appearance and Table 4 for morphometric data of the type series and for general description under N. leucopterygius .

Closed frontal neuromast system with one groove, preopercular neuromast system with 5 pores.

Total number of vertebrae 28, number of vertebrae with pleural ribs 13–14, with haemal spines 14–15 (holotype and three paratypes).

First dorsal fin ray behind origin of anal fin, situated above anal fin ray 6–7 and behind middle of body. Dorsal fin rays 12–14; anal fin rays 15–16. Pectoral fin extending posteriorly, not reaching origin of pelvic fin; pelvic fin not reaching anal fin. Pectoral fin rounded.

Scales cycloid; body and head entirely scaled, except for ventral surface of head. Frontal squamation of E- or G-type, one male with one E-scale overlapping the G-scale and the second one below; scales on lateral line 28–29 + 3–4 on caudal fin base, not all scales with small groove in center. Transverse rows of scales above pelvic fin 9–10; circumpeduncular scale row 13–14.

Live coloration. Males with side of body brown, scales brown or gray-brown sometimes with a bluegreen center, scale margin darker brown or red-brown ( Figs. 6A &B). Back darker brown, belly gray to light brown, on head some traces of red color pattern on opercle and posteriorly. Above or slightly posterior to the insertion of pectoral fin a dark red or brown blotch. Unpaired fins in center blue-green. Dorsal and caudal fin with more or less regular brown, somewhat faint, dots or stripes, white or light blue fin margins, dark submarginal zone. Anal fin with dark brown or red-brown to black margin, above white submarginal stripe, sometimes only traces of white on posterior tip of fin. Above submarginal stripe a blue-green zone without brown color pattern usually followed by a nearly median faint brown stripe, above this a pattern of faint brown dots or blotches. Pelvic fin similarly colored as anal fin, pectoral fin hyaline with whitish margin.

Females on side brown, center of scales usually light brown, dark scale margin, forming a reticulated pattern ( Fig. 6 C). Behind opercle, above or posterior to the insertion of pectoral fin, a dark brown or red blotch. Back brown, belly light brown. Unpaired fins in center blue-green or greenish with dark dots between fin rays, with faint whitish margin and submarginal dark zone. Pelvic fins similarly colored as anal fin, pectoral fin hyaline.

Coloration in ethanol. Males shortly after preservation side and back dark gray to brown, belly lighter gray or gray brownish ( Fig. 6 D). Unpaired and pelvic fins grayish dark, anal fin with dark margin, some males with white posterior tip, caudal fin with whitish margin. Pectoral fin gray, paler on margin. Females are similar to males and same as juveniles ( Fig. 6 D). Sides and back dark gray to gray brownish, no dark vertical bars. Fins dark gray, unpaired fins with white margin, pelvic and pectoral fins light gray on margin.

Etymology. This species is named with regard to the black margin on the anal fin. Translated to Greek: melanos = black and pterygion = diminuitive of pteryx= fin or wing.

Distribution and habitat. Nimbapanchax melanopterygius is currently only known from collections at two sampling localities in the Mount Nimba region ( Fig. 1 ).

The type locality is a small puddle at the bank of the Cavally River near a natural granitic bridge. The Cavally River flows with a strong current between boulders and has a depth of up to 1 m. Water temperature in the puddle was 24°C. At the second locality, the species was found in a small, slow flowing creek with a maximum depth of 60 cm and a water temperature of 25°C. The water was stained slightly brown, the creek covered by small trees and bushes, its bank covered by herbaceous plants.

Remarks. A similar Nimbapanchax was kept by aquarium hobbyists as A. aff. maeseni from “Behple, northeastern Liberia “ ( Wildekamp 1993), A. maeseni from “Beple“ ( Seegers 1997), or A. sp. from near “Behple at the road between Tapeta and Juarzon“ ( Etzel 2006). It differs from N. melanopterygius at least on the available pictures and color descriptions by the impression of a more bluish or blue color on side and fins, a dark reddish anal fin margin and reddish pattern on unpaired fins versus a darker brownish color on side with blue-greenish on scales, black margin in anal fin and brownish pattern on unpaired fins on blue-greenish background ( Etzel 2006; Seegers 1997; Wildekamp 1993). No specimens were available for a comparative study but it might be possible that the specimens from Behple or Beple are conspecific with N. melanopterygius . This would extend the distribution area from southeastern Guinea into northeastern Liberia. Unfortunately the exact collection locality of this population is not clear. According to Etzel (2006) the population was found at the road between Juarzon and Tapeta. This would indicate a place far more south as the known localities of N. melanopterygius and far outside the Mount Nimba region, but two villages named Beple were found in the gazetteer from the DIVA-GIS homepage ( Hijmans et al. 2001) south of the Mount Nimba region which might be more plausible; a village with the name Behple could not be found. However, no final conclusions are possible until new collections were made in this part of Liberia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of Archiaphyosemion and Nimbapanchax: A. guineense collections are indicated by a grey circle, N. petersi by a black circle, N. jeanpoli by a grey square, N. viridis by a black square, N. leucopterygius by a grey triangle, and N. melanopterygius by a black triangle. The actual species distribution will in fact be broader based on records not associated with vouchered specimens.

FIGURE 6. A. Nimbapanchax melanopterygius, male paratype, locality GF 06 / 1, Guinea; B. Nimbapanchax melanopterygius, male holotype, locality GF 06 / 2, Guinea; C. Nimbapanchax melanopterygius, female paratype, locality GF 06 / 1, Guinea; D. Nimbapanchax melanopterygius, male holotype (42.9 mm SL), locality GF 06 / 2, and female paratype (42.4 mm SL), locality GF 06 / 1, Guinea, photographed short after preservation.

FIGURE 5. A. Nimbapanchax leucopterygius, male holotype, collection locality GF 06 / 6, Guinea; B. Nimbapanchax leucopterygius, juvenile F 1 male, GF 06 / 6 strain, Guinea, not preserved; C. Nimbapanchax leucopterygius, female paratype, collection locality GF 06 / 6, Guinea; and D. Nimbapanchax leucopterygius, male holotype (43.6 mm SL) and female paratype (42.8 mm SL), locality GF 06 / 6, Guinea.