Aphyosemion cameronense (Boulenger 1903)

Djoum. Photo Courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Meaning of Name

After the country it inhabits - Cameroon.

First Description

Boulenger G.A. 1903.

Descriptions of New Cyprinodont Fishes from Southern Cameroon.

Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Series 7, 12 (70): 435-441, 1903.

Size

5.5 cm.

Meristics

D = 11-13, A = 14-17, D/A = 1/6, ll = 30-33.

Karyotype

n = 12-17, A=21-23 (Scheel 1974). Very variable between populations.

Sub-Genus

Mesoaphyosemion

Group

A.cameronense

Synonyms
  • Haplochilus cameronensis Boulenger 1903
  • Panchax cameronensis Ahl 1924
  • Fundulus beauforti Ahl 1924
  • Panchax bellicauda Ahl 1924
  • Panchax microstomus Ahl 1924
  • Aphyosemion microstomum (Ahl 1924)
  • Aphyosemion cameronensis Rachow 1928 (in part)
  • Aphyosemion cameronense Myers 1933
  • Aphyosemion beauforti Myers 1933
  • Aphyosemion microstomum Scheel 1968
  • Aphyosemion bellicauda Scheel 1968
  • Aphyosemion cameronense cameronense Lazara 1984
Populations
  • Abailaissi
  • Acom II
  • Adzap
  • Akoabas
  • Akometam (M'balmayo area)
  • Assendjick
  • Asseng
  • Ayos
  • Bélinga (Northern Gabon)
  • Bengbis
  • Bibouleman
  • Binguela
  • Diang (Eastern Cameroon)
  • Djoum (Southern Cameroon)
  • Ebé
  • Ebolowa (20km north east)
  • Ecucu
  • Koumameyong (Northern Gabon)
  • Kwikenga, Manyanga, Congo (Congo Museum)
  • Lalara
  • Latta
  • Lolodorf
  • Madang 1
  • Mbombo
  • Mbongomo
  • Mébassa
  • Mébandé
  • Mefou (Eastern Cameroon)
  • Mélen
  • Meuban
  • Mfoumou
  • Mindourou
  • Miniongo
  • Mitzic (Northern Gabon)
  • Mongomo (Rio Kie, Equatorial Guinea)
  • Ngoyang-Chantier
  • Nguem
  • Nsessoum
  • Nsomi
  • Nyezam
  • Rio Ecucu (Equatorial Guinea)
  • Sam
  • ABDK 10 / 373
  • ABDK 10 / 376
  • ABDK 10 / 377 - West Djoum
  • ABDK 2010 / 399 - RT Mbalem-Nguila II
  • ADK 11 / 451
  • BFS 02 / 14
  • BSW 99 / 18 - Lonmayong
  • BSW 99 / 20
  • C 89/39
  • CGE 91 - 20 Localities
  • CMM 40 - Between Akom II & Ebolowa
  • CSK 95 / 9
  • CSK 95 / 10
  • DNA 01 - Sam
  • EMS 90 / 3
  • EMS 90 / 4
  • EMS 90 / 5
  • G 02/153, 154, 155
  • GAB 10/90
  • GAB 15/90
  • GBG 92/25
  • GBHL 86 - 12 Locations
  • GBL 85 - 12 Locations
  • GEMG 11 / 17
  • GEW 13 / 23 / 2
  • GJP 80/14
  • GJS 00/19
  • GEAV 13/2 Monte Raiz
  • GEMLB 02/25
  • GEMLBJ 03 / 14
  • GEMLC 04/12
  • GKCAR 90/8
  • GWW 86 - 21 locations
  • HJRK 92 - 5 Locations
  • K 99 - Koubeck collection
  • KEK 98 / 16
  • LEC 93 - 11 Locations
  • PEG 93 - 3 Locations
  • PEG 94 - 17 Locations

Listed here are some of the older collection locations too for reference purposes. Doubtful if any are still in captivity.

ABC 06/88 - Campo Maan

Akoabas - Amiet collected fish here in February 1981. The location is 25kms southwest of Oveng on the road to Nsak & Minvoul, northern Gabon.

Akometam -

AKA commercial import labelled Akometam from the M'balmayo area.
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira.

   

Assendjick (Assandjick) - Amiet mentions this in his 1987 book. Location is probably 8kms southeast of Ambam on the road to Eboro.

Asseng - Collected by Amiet about 10kms west of Ma'an on the road to Nyabéssan (Nyabizan).

Asseng
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

   

BDBG 04/4 - Yen.

 

Bengbis -

Bengbis wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   

 

Bibouleman - Imported into Germany from south Cameroon in the early 1990's. Location probably on the road from Ebolowa to Kribi between Mefo & Akom II. No information on who collected them or even if this is the true collecting point.

Bikok - Amiet collected here. This was a small town south of Yaoundé, 7kms west of the Yaoundé - Mbalmayo road.

BLLMC 05/18 - Meyo Nyaka.

CSK 95 / 9 - Mindourou - Ndjoo River subsystem.An easy population to breed compared to other populations.Prefers peat fibre as a spawning medium. Fry will not be eaten by the parents.

Diang - Probably collected & brought back to Europe early 1990's. The collection was soon lost in the hobby. Amiet reports collecting here in March 1985 but none were sent to Europe. Located 46 kms west of Bértoua on the road to Nanga Eboko.

Djoum -

Djoum wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   


Gabon 74/3 - Collected by Gaspers in 1974. A stream 2kms east of the fery over the Mvoung River near Ovan.
Gabon 74/9 - 13·5kms from the Makokou mission in the direction of Ovan. In a stream to the right & left of the road from Makokou - Ovan.
Gabon 74/11 - Mintoum, on the Mokokou - Ovan road.
Gabon 79/7 - Collected December 1979 by Heinemann & Lenz 3kms west of Makokou.
Gabon 79/9 - 41 kms west of Makokou. This may be at or close to LEC 93/6 of the Legros, Eberl & Cerfontaine trip in 1993.

GBL 85/31 -

GBL 85 / 31
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

   

GEMHS 00/3 -

GEMHS 00 / 3
Photo courtesy of Vasco Gomes

    

GEMLBJ 03 / 14 -

GEMLBJ 03 / 14
Photo courtesy of Oscar Sanchez Diezma

    

K 99 - K standing for Koubeck. A commercial collector in Gabon operating 1998 - 2001. No precise data on collection site, just 'North west Congo near Gabon border'. Known to have been imported to South Africa at least.

Photo courtesy of Tyrone Genade

Lalara -

Lalara. This image was taken shortly after they arrived in the USA.
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira.

   

Lolodorf -

Lolodorf wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   

LEC 93 / 3 - Ebé. Nkogh'essy stream about 200 metres northeast of the village. 48kms east of Koumaméyong & 8kms west of Ovan. Pap in Wildekamp's book of 1981 mentions A.maculatum coming from this village but this species could not be found. Males & females appear to be aggressive. Females if not ready to lay are able to defend themselves. More eggs have been found in peat fibre rather than mops. Parents will not harm their young if they are left.

LEC 93 / 11 - 5km west of Ovan near the village of Ayol. Collected on 10th January in the Méyang stream. Reportedly not as aggressive as LEC 93 / 3.

Madang I - Collected by Amiet & sent to France. Situated 7kms north of Lolodorf on the road to Eséka. Next village to Ngoyang.

Madang
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

   

Mefou (Mefo, Méfo) - Radda mentions this in his 1976 publication 'Der Aphyosemion cameronense Komplex'. A stream in the rainforest near Mefou on the road from Ebolowa to Kribi.

Melen - Confusing name as many villages are to be found on maps. Could possibly be 8km east of Nyabéssan, Cameroon.

Mentanye - Collected a few kms south of this small village about 10kms south of the Nyong river on the road from Eséka to Lolodorf road. Seems to have been imported into the hobby summer 1990 but thought to have died out.

Minkok - Amiet mentions this in his 1987 book. Situated 20kms as the crow flies from Ambam on one of the minor roads to the east.

Minlongo - Collected in southern Cameroon by Bas Vlijm et al summer 1990. Village on the Eséke to Lolodorf road. The Minlongo stream crosses the road here. Phenotype 9.

Ngoyang Chantier - Ngoyang is French for work site. This is the timber camp for the company Chantier. Eberl tried to find ths inAugust 1990 but it no longer existed. Collected mid '80's & brought back to Europe. Photographed by Maurice Chauche. Also collected by Uwe Kämpf, Wolfgang Eberl & Andreas Kliesch, January 1998 (KEK 98). Another collection from Ngoyang (PEG 90/2) may still be in the hobby but it is not sure if this & the original collection came from the same stream. The PEG 90/2 collection look to have slightly more red spots on the body but I have only seen one photo of this collection. Regarded as being Phenotype 9.

A.cf.cameronense Ngoyang Chantier.
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

Phenotype 9 KEK 98-16
Photo courtesy of Oscar Sanchez Diezma

  

Nsomi (Nsimi) - Radda mentions this in his 1971 publication 'Cyprinodontiden Studien im Südlichen Kamerun'. A stream near Nsomi in the Zoétele District.

Nsessoum - Amiet collected here in March 1985. This village is about 9kms southeast of Méyo Centre on the road to Ambam. Eberl et al found this location in 1990 (EMS 90/4) & brought back live fish to Europe.
Collected by Nevin Aspinwall, Tomas Hrbek & Jack Heller, November-December 1998 (HAH). No codes for collections put with the various sites.

Nsessoum HAH 98
Photo courtesy of Bill Shenefelt.

   

Nyezam - Collected by Amiet. Apparently 2 villages exist with this name & the exact one is not known.

Oveng -

Oveng
Photo courtesy of Oliver Lucanus
See Oliver's website

    

Oyém - When originally collected in the mid 1970's this growing urban area was quite small. It is thought the original collecting area in the south of the town has been swallowed up with development.

PEG 93 / 16 - Collected on 14th July 1993. Followed an old forest road near Zomoko for several kms to a stream. Reportedly lays well on fibrous peat but does not take to mops. Parents eat their fry so either take eggs or fish out after spawning.

Sangmelima -

Sangmelima wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Sangmelima wild female.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.
Type Locality

Very vague description. It is not possible to find the exact location. Several specimens were took from the Kienke (then Kribi) River & one specimen from the Dja River. Dja may refer to a stream or tributary or even an old name for a village. Scheel considered the type locality most likely to be Efoulan.

Distribution

The Inland Plateau of southern Cameroon, Rio Muni & northern Gabon. Inhabits the drainage systems of the Boumba, Boume, Dja, Lobo, Nyong, Sanaga & Upper Ivindo rivers.

Habitat

Found in slow moving rainforest streams near the banks. They are reported to be very numerous in the wild.

Biotope of A.exiguum & A.cameronense near Zoetele, Cameroon

Photo: Courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Distinguishing Characteristics  
Colour/Pattern Variability High
History

In 1903 Boulenger had 8 specimens from the Kribi (now Kienke) River & 1 from the Dja River, southern Cameroon, which were collected by Bates.

Boulenger gives the following collectors / locations in his 1915 Catalogue.

  • 1-8 (Types). Collected in the Kribi River, southern Cameroon.
  • 9-15. Collected at the above location but not used as types.
  • 16-35. Collected in the Nyong River.
  • 36 (Type). Collected in the Ja River. All above collected by G.L.Bates.
  • 37-38. Collected by Mr.E.Seimund in Fernando Po
  • 39-42. Collected by J.P.Arnold at Cape Lopez, Gabon.
  • 43-44. Collected at Kwikenga, Manyanga, Congo. The collector is given as the Congo Museum.

In 1913 A.ahli (which were probably A.australe) were imported from Cap Lopez, Gabon. Another sp. was included in this shipment said to have been caught in Gabon. They arrived under the label Rivulus urophthalmus (or R.rubra which is not a recognised zoological name). These fish were identified as Haplochilus cameronensis by Arnold.

Scheel & Clausen collected the species in the 1960's. Scheel in ROTOW 1 states that he had seen 9 specimens from the Nyong River which were collected by Bates. Again these were identified as Haplochilus cameronensis by Boulenger.

In the beginning of the 1970's many authors made collecting trip - Böhm, Bochtler, Haas, Herzog, Gaspers. et al.

Radda collected in 1971.

In late 1975-1976 Radda & Pürl with the support of Haller collected them in many localities.

Towards the end of the 1970's Heinemann & Lenz collected in southern Cameroon/ northern Gabon. Live fish were brought back to Europe.

Collected by Jan Pap 1980.

Collected by Marice Chauche et al in 1985, Also Bardin & Lombard in the same year.

Collected by Bardin, Houdu & Lombard in 1986.

January 1986 Wagner &Wendel collected (GWW). Only location GWW 86/2 was returned alive to Europe.
In February 1986 Bardin, Houdu & Lombard found them 27·5kms southeast of Makokou on the road to Okondja

1987, Amiet made collections.

1990, Eberl, Vlum et al.

1991, Grell, Eberl.

Grell 1992.

Legros, Cerfontaine & Eberl 1993 (January) & Passaro & Eberl 1994 (August).

The history of this sp. is confusing. They have been imported in the past as A.australe & A.ahli & have been confused with many sp. including A.labarrei & A.louessense.

History of the synonym Fundulus beauforti AHL 1924

Named after the Dutch Ichthyologist Dr. L.F. de.Beaufort. Collected by Schreiner at Sangmelima (then Sangmelina). This location is the same as another synonym, Panchax bellicauda Ahl 1924.
Ahl described this species from a single specimen (probably female) collected in the Upper Lobo River, Sangmelima, Cameroon. Holly, in his revisions of 1930 reexamined the holotype & found certain differences between this & Ahl's data. Holly found meristically significant data - D = 15 (as opposed to Ahl's D = 9), A = 16 (as opposed to Ahl's 12).
In 1962 Klee & Turner reported individuals of Fp.gularis (then A.gulare) as beauforti. Radda also made this mis-identification in 1963.
Scheel (in ROTOW 1 p 106) considered Ahl's location for the specimen described may not be correct.

History of the synonym Panchax microstomus AHL 1924

Ahl used 4 specimenscollected by Zenker to describe the species. Information on the type locality for these fish from Cameroon was not published.

Holly placed these fish as a synonym for A.cameronense in 1930.

Breeding Notes

Wild imports are regarded as a little more difficult to breed although fish of F1 or later are regarded as easier to breed. Some populations are easier to breed than others apparently although I do not know which these are.

Success has been reported using the natural method of a well planted tank & letting nature take it's course. Fry are safe with the parents & can be netted out to their own tank after a few weeks.

Growth is slow & they can take 8 months to reach sexual maturity.

Rudiger Wagner in BKA Killinews No.290 (November 1989) reported leaving a pair to over winter at 13°C. When the temperature rose in the spring to 15-16°C 5-6 eggs were found daily. At 18°C egg laying ceased.
He also observed that the fish layed well in a thunder storm at the end of May. The water temperature was between 17-18°C. These eggs went 3 weeks on peat with no signs of development. After 5 weeks the fry could be seen in the egg. At this stage the eggs were wet. The first egg hatched tail first but the fry died as it could not free itself of the shell. A pipette was used to place the eggs in & this was shaken from side to side to help free the fry.

Diameter of Egg 1·2 mm
Remarks

Young fish are regarded as sensitive to metabolic waste build up in the water. Also, sudden water changes can be equally harmful. Small regular water changes have been found to be the ideal method of maintenance.
Sterba in Freshwater Fishes considered males quarrelsome. Egg incubation was quoted at 15-20 days.

For further reference to this species please refer to the book 'Faszination Killifische: Die Aphyosemion cameronense Gruppe' by Dadaniak, Lütje & Eberl. This is in German but an English transcript booklet is available.