Aphyosemion schluppi Huber & Scheel 1981

A.schluppi FCCO 2013-03 Zanaga Wild fish
Photo courtesy of Christian Cauvet

Meaning of Name

After Father Gerard Schlupp of the Zanaga mission post for assistance to John Buytaert & Walter Wachters in collecting the sp.

First Description

Radda A.C. & Huber J.H. 1978.

Die Rivulinae des südlichen Kongo (Brazzaville) I, Die Beschreibung von vier neun Arten Gattung Aphyosemion Myers.

Aquaria 25: p 173-187, figure 4-7.

Size

4.5cm

Meristics

D = 11-12, A = 13-15, D/A = +6, ll = 29-31 (+1-2) (Radda & Huber 1978)

Karyotype

n = 14, A = 24 (Scheel 1981)

Sub-Genus

Mesoaphyosemion

Group
  • ogoense (according to Radda & Huber 1970)
  • thysi (according to Wildekamp 1993)
Synonyms

None

Populations
  • Ekouma River (southwestern Congo)
  • Loutoko
  • Mossendjo
  • Obilly (southwestern Congo)
  • Voula
  • FCCO 2013 / 3 - Zanaga
  • JH 163
  • RPC 18
  • RPC 27
  • RPC 28
  • RPC 29
  • RPC 30
  • RPC 202

 

CMBB 89 / 15 - 60 km from Kimono towards Kingani, 4km from Loutoko. Described as 'a flowing river with a swampy overflow which was stagnant'. The water was amber in colour, pH 5·9, conductivity 16ms. Air temp 27°C, water temp 22°C.

COFE 2011 / 17 -

JH 78 / 163 - 72km south east of Mossendjo

RPC 78 / 18 - Collected 5 km beyond the bridge over the river Mpoukou on the road from Mossendjo - Komono. At 1300 hrs air temperature 23°C, water temperature 18°C, pH 6·5. Sympatric sp. A.pyrophore, Neolebias trewavasae, Chromidotilapia sciloango, Ctenopoma, Hypsopanchax zebra, Nannocharax altus.

A.schluppi RPC 18 circulating in the US around 1980. Photo courtesy of Lennie MacKowiak

A.schluppi RPC 18. Photo I took early 1980's. Circulating in the UK.

 



RPC 78 / 27 - Collected in the Poubila River, 1 km from the village of Ingoumina on the road from Zanaga - Sibiti. At 1400 hrs air temperature 19°C, water temperature 18°C, pH 6·5. Sympatric sp. A.caudofasciatum, Hypsopanchax zebra, Barbus sp.(3).

RPC 78 / 28 - Collected in the Ekouma River near the village of Ogooue between Zanaga & Voula II. At 1400 hrs air temperature 19°C, water temperature 18°C, pH 6. Sympatric sp. A.caudofasciatum, A.buytaerti, Hypsopanchax zebra, Barbus sp.(3), Hepsetus odoe, Phenacogrammus aurantiacus, Barbus aff.jae, Ctenopoma nanum.

A.schluppi RPC 28 circulating in the US around 1980. Photo courtesy of Lennie MacKowiak

   



RPC 78 / 29 - Holotype. Collected in a roadside stream a few kms on the northern route from Zanaga. Sympatric sp. A.ogoense (form), Hypsopanchax zebra, Barbus sp.(3).

RPC 79 / 202 - Zanaga. Sympatric sp. A.wachtersi, A.caudofasciatum, Hysopanchax zebra, Barbus (2 sp.), Ctenopoma nanum, Nannocharax fasciatum, Characoid.

Zanaga, Congo.
This is most likely to be RPC 79 / 202
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   

RPC 91 / 12 - Voula.

Type Locality

A brook located on the road from Zanaga to the Ogowe River in southern Congo. RPC 78/28.

Distribution

Found between Mossendjo & Komono, southwestern Congo in the upper Ogowe & Louesse - Niari River drainages.

Habitat

Rainforest brooks in the mountainous area of the province of Lekoumou, southern Congo. Sympatric with A.thysi, A.wachtersi & A.buytaerti.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This species has a general look all of its own in terms of body shape & the pointed dorsal & anal fins. Colouration is quite drab with little or no markings on the body. Pelvic, anal & dorsal fins carry varying dgrees of orange with the upper & lower outer margins to the caudal fin also showing this orange colouration (RPC 18).
Not a difficult species to seperate from other members of the genus.

Colour/Pattern Variability Fairly low.
History

First collected by Buytaert & Wachters at collection point RPC 18 on the 19th July 1978. They also found them at collection points RPC 27 on the 22nd July & RPC 28 & 29 on 23rd July. Of these collections only collections from 18 & 28 were returned alive to Europe.
John Buytaert returned to the area of Zanaga in July 1979 & found them at collection point RPC 202.

Imported to the UK & distributed by BKA Species Import Committee July/August 1979.

Breeding Notes

Not an easy species to breed. The RPC 18 population I had in the early 1980's failed to breed. Reports suggest water incubation takes 10-14 days. Fry are small on hatching & benefit from infusoria for the first couple of days. Growth rate is reported in some publications as slow whilst others consider it moderate with sexual maturity taking around 6-7 months.

Diameter of Egg Small.
Remarks