Aphyosemion polli Radda & Pürzl 1987

A.polli Z82 / 26 Photo courtesy of Jacques Laird

Meaning of Name

After Prof. Dr. Max Poll, Belgian Ichthyologist.

First Description

Radda A.C & E. Pürzl 1987.

Color Atlas of Cyprinodonts of the Rain Forest of Tropical Africa.

Otto Hofmann Ed., Wien: 9, 124 fig.

Size

5 cm.

Meristics

D = 9, A= 15, D/A = +7-10, ll = 30.

Karyotype

 

Sub-Genus

Aphyosemion

Group

elegans

Synonyms

 

Populations
  • Bangui
  • Gilima
  • Halebo
  • Kinshasa
  • Kinshasa 2001
  • N'djili
  • CI 2001
  • CI 2004
  • CI 2011 - Maluku
  • CIM 01
  • KCF 5
  • Z82 / 26 - Type locality

CIM / 01 found in commercial import August 2001 by Dirk Ude. Three pairs were put into the conservation project (DKG) & small numbers of eggs were produced. Photo: Courtesy of Hans Gruber / Axel Schwekendiek.

 

 

 

Wild form found in commercial shipment from Kinshasa year 2000. Note high dorsal fin.

Form in circulation in the '70's in the BKA under the name A.schoutedeni.
BKA photo

Bangui circulating in the US as A.sp.Bangui around 1980.
Photo: Courtesy of Lennie MacKowiak

A.polli Kinshasa Young fish
Photo: Monty Lehmann

A.castaneum found in commercial shipment from Kinshasa 2000.

A.polli wild male imported into the USA in 2005.
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira.

 

Gilima - The population from Gilima appeared in the UK as A.sp.Gilima (sometimes called A.christyi) in the early to mid 1980's. At first fry were reportedly hard to raise both in the UK & the USA. It would appear that raising the fry in rain water helped considerably.

Gilima.
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

Gilima distributed in the UK.

 

KCF 5 - spec. Bangui -

KCF 5
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

KCF 5
Photo courtesy Gottfried Marschitz

KCF 5 Bangui
Photo: Courtesy of Monty Lehmann

Bangui
Photo courtesy Gottfried Marschitz

 

 
Type Locality

Kinshasa International Airport, Zaire. 5km north of N'djili - Z82 / 26.

Distribution

Restricted to the area of Kinshasa, Zaire.

Habitat

Slow to still water over a base of leaves & bottom debris. Water temperature 22-32°C. Sympatric sp. Ep.spilargyreius. Natural food source ants & insects.

Distinguishing Characteristics Can be very difficult to distinguish from A.decorsei. Both sp. are seperated geographically.
A.polli has few spots on body & unpaired fins. Red outer margins to dorsal & top/bottom of caudal fin.
Colour/Pattern Variability Low but spots on body & unpaired fins can vary in number.
History

Discovered in an aquarium trade import. Types - Ed Pürzl 1982.

A commercial import came in in 2004 which was distributed as A.sp.aff.polli CI 2004.

Breeding Notes

Spawns in soft / acid water similar to other members of the elegans group.

Diameter of Egg 1·2mm. Huber in Killi-Data refered to them as 'streaked'.
Remarks

Some authors question the validity & origins of this sp. Was it accidentally transplanted or is it naturally occurring? More work is needed. In the meantime I have put a page on the site for this sp.

http://www.exotics.net/dkg/steckbriefe/aphyosemion/pol/aphyosemion_polli.pdf