Aphyosemion kekemense Radda & Scheel 1975

A.kekemense, wild male from Kekem.
Photo courtesy of Ed Purzl.

Meaning of Name

After the type locality - Kekem.
First Description

Radda A.C. & Scheel J.J. 1975.

Neue Formen der Gattung Aphyosemion Myers aus dem sudwestlichen Kamerun.

Das Aquarium 69 : 98-103, plate 1 figures 1-2.
Size

5cm
Meristics

D = 10-11, A = 14-15, D/A = +7, ll = 30-31.
Karyotype

18 (36).
Sub-Genus

Kathetys
Group

A.exiguum
Synonyms
  • Aphyosemion bualanum kekemense Radda & Scheel 1975
  • Aphyosemion kekemense Huber 1977

 
Populations
  • Kékem
  • Petit N'kam - Kékem
  • CCP 82 / 1 - Kékem
  • KEK 98 / 24 (affinis bualanum)

FI male. Photo courtesy of Ralph Tran.

Kekem CCP 82 / 1
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

FI female. Photo courtesy of Ralph Tran.

 

Kékem - Formerly described as a subsp.(A.bualanum kekemense). This is an extremely colourful form which was originally collected at 0800 hrs on the 29th February 1972. The biotope was a small stream with little water & small flow. Air temperature was 21°C, water temperature 23°C, pH 6, DH 2.
A further collection at 1500 hrs on the 19th November 1973 gave readings of, air temperature 30·5°C, water temperature 23·7°C, pH 5·9, DH 2. It was noted that although the air temperature had risen the water temperature had remained more or less constant.
Type Locality

Petit M'Kam, in a small brook some 35 km north/north east on the road from N'kongsamba to Bafousam.
Distribution

Restricted to the area of the type locality.
Habitat

Measurements taken on the 8th December 1982 at 1700 hrs were DH 2, KH 2, water temperature 23.5'C, air temperature 27'C, nitrates 0. Sympatric sp. included Cichlids, Catfish, tadpoles, shrimps & crabs.

Biotope of A.kekemense at Kekem, Cameroon.
Photo courtesy of Ed Purzl.

A more accurate description of this biotope can be found in KCF Killi Revue Dec.'83 pp14-19 where the locality was described as "In the village of Kékem beyond the Catholic church in the direction of Bafang a small track runs parallel to the main road on the right hand side. The track is followed as far as a small wooded bridge which must be crossed on foot. Just beyond the bridge on the right is a dead arm of a stream.

The place is partially overgrown. The water area is approx. 3 metres x 6 metres. The bank on one side is nearer the water but overgrown with branches & roots. On the other side the bank is about one metre above the water level which does not facilitate fishing since the water is turbid. The water is 60-70 cm deep & the bed is muddy".

Huber's Killi-Data online reports them found in clear & more active (flowing) water over a sand base. Depth of water about 30 cm. Water temperature 22-32°C.

 
Distinguishing Characteristics This sp. is perhaps one of the most colourful of all the known A.bualanum which is really the only sp. which could be confused with A.kekemense. Their fins & body are heavily marked with vertical red lines & spots. The pectoral fins are a deep orange colour.
Colour/Pattern Variability Fairly low regarding there limited distribution.
History

First recorded collection by Werner Herzog in 1971.
Later collected by Radda & Scheel on 19th November 1973.
Collected later by Chauche & Poliak in 1982 (CCP 82 / 1), 14 fish were collected from this location.

Breeding Notes

P.Lakermi in BKA newsletter No.278 (October 1988) reported breeding success in pH 6, TH 5 with a water temperature of 20° C.
Eggs are very small as too are the fry. Although the fry are small it was noted that they grew faster than elberti populations with a sexing out period of 5 months & full maturity at 10 months.

Reported in Huber's Killie-Data online to require a 7 month period before sexual maturity occurs.
Diameter of Egg 1·4 mm.
Remarks

Not an easy fish to find in the hobby.