Aphyosemion schioetzi Huber & Scheel 1981

A.schioetzi Mindouli. Photo courtesy of Gottfried Marschitz

Meaning of Name

After Dr. Arne Schiötz who collected killies for Scheel in Ghana & Zaire.
First Description

Huber J.H & Scheel J.J. 1981.

Revue systematique de la superspéce Aphyosemion elegans. Description de A.chauchei et A.scioetzi n. sp.

Revue française d'Aquariologue 8 (2): p 36, 4 figures, map.
Size

5cm
Meristics
  • D = 9-10, A = 15-17, D/A = +9-10, ll = 28-31 (Huber & Scheel 1981)
  • D = 9, A = 15-17, ll = 28-30 (+1-2) (Radda & Pürzl 1987)
Karyotype

n = 9, A = 18 (Scheel 1968 as Aphyosemion christyi Huber & Scheel 1981)

Sub-Genus

Aphyosemion
Group

A.elegans
Synonyms
  • Aphyosemion christyi (non Boulenger 1915) Turner & Klee 1962
  • Aphyosemion COYWEST Huber 1978 - 'Congo Yellow West'
  • Aphyosemion schoietzi Huber 1982
Populations
  • Kellé (southern Congo)
  • Kinkala
  • Kounga
  • Linzolo
  • Loutoko (Lutoko ?)
  • Louzi - ( PK50 )
  • Madimba
  • Mgondé
  • Mindouli
  • Missafou
  • Mogombe
  • Mokedo
  • Mt.Nimba - CI 2001
  • Ngombe
  • N'kenni ferry (southern Congo)
  • Olombo
  • Taba
  • Voula I (southeastern Congo)
  • Voka Mission (southern Congo)
  • C 85 / 2
  • CHG 85 / 1
  • CHG 85 / 2
  • CHG 85 / 62
  • CI 85/1
  • CMBB 89 / 6 - Kounga
  • CMBB 89 / 7
  • CMBB 89 / 9
  • GHP 80 / 30
  • Z 91 / 1 - Ngombe
  • Z 91 / 2 - 50 km Z (south?)Louzi
  • Z 91 / 3
  • Z 91 / 8

Taba, Congo. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

CHG 85 / 62 Photo: Monty Lehmann

Ngombe Z91 / 1.
Photo courtesy of Pat Rimmer

RPC 106
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

RPC 106 Female
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

85 /1 (probably CHG)
Photo courtesy of Bill Shenefelt

Mt.Nimba CI 2001 taken at the 2004 SKS convention.
Photo courtesy of Dick Cox

Mindouli -

A.schioetzi Mindouli. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

    

JH 103 - Collected by J.H.Huber 18 km southwest of Brazzaville.
JH 109 - From the area of Olombo.
JH 114 - 54 km northwest of Oyo.
JH 117 - Okoyo.
JH 118 - 12 km north of Okoyo.
JH 120 - 52 km south of Ewo.
JH 121 - 24 km north of Ewo.
JH 122 - Ewo.
JH 124 -

Type Locality

A small savannah brook close to Taba, southeastern Congo.
Distribution

Found in the area of the middle Zaire River drainage system on the northern side of the main river in the Djoue, middle & lower Léfini, Nkeni, Kouyou, Vouma & upper Likouala Rivers of southeastern & eastern Congo & western Zaire.
Habitat

Found in areas with water plants in slow moving small streams & brooks in forested savannah. Typical water from this biotopes is pH 4·6 - 6·7, DH less than 1, water temperature 19 - 22°C.
Sympatric sp. include Micropanchax stictopleuron, E.boulengeri, Hemichromis sp. Ctenopoma ansorgii, Ctenopoma sp., Clarias sp., Phractolaemus ansorgii, Nannochromis dimidiatus, Neolebias trilineatus.
Distinguishing Characteristics Can be very difficult to isolate from A.cognatum. At first it was thought they could be seperated by blue outer margins in unpaired fins seen on cognatum but absent in schioetzi. However this is not considered reliable.
Many populations of schioetzi have red spots on the flanks forming a uniform pattern.
Colour/Pattern Variability  
History

Collected by Anese in July 1980.
Breeding Notes

Regarded as an easily bred species. Water incubation takes around 12-30 days. Newly hatched fry measure 5 - 5·2mm & these remain just under the surface of the water. A size of 17mm can be attained after one month with first signs of sexing out at six weeks.
Other reports have suggested that growth is quite slow with sexual maturity taking about 7 months with some males showing signs of colouration at 5 months of age.
Diameter of Egg  
Remarks