Aphyosemion splendopleure (Brünning 1929)

A.splendopleure Ekondo Titi. Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Meaning of Name

Refers to the shining sides of the body.

First Description

Brünning C. 1929.
Der grüne Leuchtaugenfisch und der afrikanische Glanzkärpfling.
Wochenschrift für Aquarien und Terrarienkunde 26 (23): p 356, figure.

Meinken's re-description.-

Meinken H.1930.
Zwei neue Fundulopanchax-Arten aus Kamerun.
Wochen. Aquar. Terr. Kunde 27, 2 : 17-20 (p 17).

Size

5.5 cm

Meristics
  • D = 11, A = 13, ll = 26-27 (Meinken re-description 1930)
  • D = 10-13, A = 12-15, D/A = +1-2, ll = 25-28 (Radda & Pürzl 1987)
Karyotype

n = 17-19, A = 19-27 (Gyldenholm & Scheel 1971; Scheel 1974) variable between populations.

Sub-Genus

Chromaphyosemion

Group

 

Synonyms
  • Fundulus bivittatus (non Lönnberg 1895) Boulenger 1915 (in part)
  • Fundulopanchax splendopleuris Brünning 1929
  • Aphyosemion splendopleuris Myers 1933
  • Aphyosemion bivittatus (non Lönnberg 1895) Fowler 1936
  • Aphyosemion multicolor (non Brünning 1929) Tusche 1952
  • Aphyosemion bivittatum (non Lönnberg 1895) Thys van den Audenaerde 1967
  • Aphyosemion splendopleure Scheel 1968
  • Aphyosemion bitaeniatum (non Ahl 1924) Scheel 1974
  • Aphyosemion (Chromaphyosemion) splendopleure Huber 1980
  • Aphyosemion aff.splendopleure (collecting codes CBL 01 / 10, CBL 01 / 11)
  • A.sp.Sipe
  • A.sp.Koukoue
  • A.sp.Bioko GEMHS 00 / 43
  • A.sp.Bimbia Camp
  • A.sp.Mboro
  • A.sp.Likado

Populations

See also tables in the right hand box which seperates those populations into cf and sp.aff

  • Bakosi (Possible corruption, Bakossi)
  • Bakundu
  • Bamukong - Ombe River
  • Bata (Equatorial Guinea)
  • Bimbia Camp
  • Bogongo (Possible corruption - Bobongo)
  • Bolbitis
  • Bombe CXC 23
  • Bonabe
  • Bonabéri
  • Bonépoupa
  • Bonguen (north of)
  • Campo HJRK 92 / 17
  • Dizangué I C89 / 33
  • Dizangué II
  • Douala
  • Ebonji (Sometimes corrupted Eboni)
  • Edéa
  • Edéa - Yaounde km 10
  • Ekondo Titi
  • Elogbatindi
  • Fifinda
  • Kopongo 1 C89 / 35
  • Kopongo 1 C89 / 36
  • Koukoué
  • Kumba GPE90 / 3
  • Libreville (northwestern Gabon)
  • Likako CSK 95 / 23
  • Likoko (sometimes written as Lykoko which is a corruption) SE 21 / 99
  • Lobe
  • Lolabé
  • Mambanda
  • Mangoulé
  • Mbimbé
  • Méme River (western Cameroon)
  • Mbonge (Sometimes corrupted Mbongue)
  • Mboumboula River
  • Mbumbulu
  • Moliwe GPE90 / 5
  • Monea
  • Mouanko
  • Muyuka C94
  • Muyuka CXC 24
  • Muyuka Police Station C89 / 15
  • Nalia (Corrupted to Naila)
  • Ndorbe River
  • Njombeo
  • Nkapa
  • Nyangadjo (southwestern Cameroon)
  • Oron
  • Owé
  • Penda Mboko K6
  • Sole CCMP 85 / 3
  • Tiko (western Cameroon)
  • Tiko Impass College - ABC 06 / 119
  • Touwata
  • Yato
  • Yoké
  • ABL 08 / 251 - Mile 7
  • C89/35
  • CBL 01 / 10 - Ndong Mbong
  • CBL 01 / 11 - Benengue
  • CBL 01 / 15 - Sipe
  • CBL 01 / 25 - Entrance to Tiko
  • CGE 91 / 18
  • CGS 83
  • CSK 95/24 (aff.splendopleure)
  • CXC 23 - Bombe
  • C3 SR 07 / 21
  • GEMHS 00 / 43 - Rio Consul
  • DDR Strain (Stamm)
  • ABC 05 / 4 - North of Edea
  • ABC 05 / 21 - Songueland
  • ABC 05 / 32 - Bissiang (See also loennbergi)
  • ABC 05 / 42 - Mbode
  • ABC 05 / 43 - North of Mboro
  • ABC 05 / 46 - Ebodje
  • ABC 05 / 47 - Malaba
  • ABC 05 / 48 - Afan Essokie II
  • ABC 05 / 57 - Mamelles Region
  • ABC 05 / 59 - Bipaga 1
  • ABC 05 / 62 - North of Bonguen
  • ABL 08 / 209 - Malaba

ABL 08 / 251 - Mile 7 - Mile 7, Moliwe Camp. Small river with current. A.splendopleure, E.infrafasciatus, Pelvicachromis sp,
Benitochromis nigrodorsalis, Barbus sp

Bamukong -

Bamukong - Ombe River. Wild fish.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

 

 

 

Bombe - CXC 90 / 23 - Collected by Jaap Vlaming, Bass Vlijm & Geert Huijevoort in Cameroon, 1990. Location was 20 kms south of Kumba. This was a small overgrown stream. The collection point was revisited in 1999 (by Geert) after part of the undergrowth had been removed to make way for a car wash.
Bill Drake gave a report in BKA newsletter No. 428, May 2001. He noted that they did not grow as large as other populations within the species, only reaching 5 cms, but were more colourful. The spawning tank was 14 x 12 x 9", filled with rainwater & plants including a floating plant. Eggs are found mainly in the plant roots. They do not like the mops. The light should be dim. Eggs were not picked off but left to hatch in the spawning tank & the fry scooped out. Adults didn't appear to eat the fry.
Fry were grown on in a seperate tank. First food can be newly hatched brine shrimp. As they grew larger fry would occaisionally eat younger fry but this was rare.
Bill found they produced mainly males. When young these males have an orange body colour which turns to purple from the gill covers to the caudal & the yellow fin extensions turn to almost white in fish of two & a half years old.
Females can be distinguished from other populations by 'some rows of scales above the dark upper bar, that have what looks like black edges, the dorsal fin is green with red dots/bars, the ventral fins are pale green, the rest of the fins are clear'.

     

Cap Esterias -

Cap Esterias
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

   

Dizangue -

Dizangue - C89 / 33.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Dizangue - C89 / 33. Female
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

Ekondo Titi -

Ekondo Titi
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Ekondo Titi
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Ekondo Titi
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Ekondo Titi

 

Ekondo Titi
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

 

Kopongo -

Kopongo
Photo courtesy of Günther Schmaus.

Kopongo
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

 

Kumba -

Kumba. Male from first import into the USA around 1974-75.
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira

   

Likoko - Sometimes distributed under the corrupted name of Lykoko.

Likoko - Wild fish.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Likoko - collected in 1999. These are F1.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Likoko - SE 21 / 99
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Likoko - SE 21 / 99
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Likoko - SE 21 / 99
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

Mambanda -

Mambanda. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   

Mbonge -

Mbonge CDC Camp collected in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Mbonge CDC Camp female collected in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Mbonge CDC Camp female collected in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Mbonge CDC Camp collected in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Mbonge CDC Camp collected in 2000.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Mbonge
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

Mbonge

 

Meme -

Meme River. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

   

Moliwe -

Moliwe. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

   

Muyuka -

Muyuka Police Station C89-15
Photo courtesy of Joseph S.

Muyuka Police Station C89-15 female
Photo courtesy of Joseph S.

Muyuka C89 / 15
Photo courtesy of Günther Schmaus.

Muyuka Police Station - C89 / 15
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Muyuka Police Station - C89 / 15
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

Muyuka Police Station - C89 / 15. Female.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Nkapa -

Nkapa - Wild male imported into the AKA.
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira

   

Oron -

Oron. Wild male. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

   

Owé -

Owé- Wild fish.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Owé- Wild female.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Owé- Wild fish.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Owé- Wild female.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

Likoko & Owé- Wild fish.
Photo courtesy of Rudolf Pohlmann.

 

Sole -

CCMP 85 / 3 - Sole
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

   

Tiko -

Tiko

   

 

K codes. Penda Mboko (location K6) is perhaps the most distributed. K5 has also been written up. The 'K' stands for Kamp (or camp). Collected by German aquarists in 2001.
Penda Mboko is situated southeast of Muyuka.
Six camps are situated on the National CDC rubber plantation.

A.sp.aff.splendopleure Kopongo 1. http://home8.swipnet.se/%7Ew-86183/kopongo1.htm Alf & Anitas site.

 

spp 01
Moliwe GPE 90 / 5
spp 02
CMM 52 Y ( Molive )
spp 03
Tiko
spp 04
Bamukong Ombe - Y River system 1999
spp 05
Bombe CXC Y 23
spp 06
CMM 50
spp 07
Kumba GPE 90 / 3
spp 08
Ngola HAH 98 YY

Collection codes for A. cf. splendopleure

cf. spp 01
Ohne
cf. spp 02
Bolbitis
cf. spp 03
Titelbild
cf. spp 04
DDR Strain
cf. spp 05
Ekondo Titi
cf. spp 06
Mambanda
cf. spp 07
Mbonge
cf. spp 08
Muyuka Police Station C 89 / 15
cf. spp 09
Lykoko 1999
cf. spp 010
Owe 1999
cf. spp 011
Mbonge CDC Camp 4 / 2000

Collection Codes for A. sp. aff. splendopleure

sp. aff. spp 01
Dizangue 1 C 89 / 33
sp. aff. spp 02
Mangoule 1999
sp. aff. spp 03
Kopongo 1 C 89 / 35
sp. aff. spp 04
Kopongo 11 C 89 / 36
sp. aff. spp 05
CMM 7 Y (Kopongo type)
sp. aff. spp 06
CMM 8 (Dizangue type)

 

Type Locality

The original description by Brünning did not give a type locality. Meinken, in his re-description of 1930 gives the type locality as Tiko, western Cameroon.

Distribution

Extends from the extreme southeastern area of Nigeria through western & southwestern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea to northwestern Gabon.

North of the Sanaga River A.riggenbachi replaces this species. To the south they are replaced by A.loennbergii.

Fish collected in the Koupongo area are regarded by Amiet 1987 to be highly coloured in the anal fin which is opaque orange with lateral bands 'fleeting & not very dark'.

Habitat

Coastal rainforest brooks & small streams where they can be found in quiet areas on soils derived from Tertiary & Quarternary sedimentary deposits.

Scheel (ROTOW 1) describes the Tiko location as 'rather hard, alkaline water'.

Distinguishing Characteristics The anal fin has no spots. However those populations from northern Gabon do exhibit spots but Amiet 1987 considered there affinities uncertain.
Colour/Pattern Variability High
History

Brünning based his original description on a colour description & figure. In 1930 Meinken re-described the species from one male & one female (from Griem's 1929 collection) in the magazine 'Wochenshrift' which were reportedly collected at Tiko by Griem.

In the '30's they were distributed under the A.bivittatum name

They were distributed in Germany & the USA in the early 1950's as Aphyosemion multicolor but they were considered to have survived World War II & were regarded as the most commonly found killie after the war. Scheel considered Tiko (collected in the 1930's) to be still present, although rare, in aquaria in 1968.

Scheel collected the sp. from Tiko in 1966 & 1974. Radda (in 1971) collected them near Tiko.

Breeding Notes

Regarded as a fairly difficult species to breed. Eggs can be sensitive. Water incubation takes around 10-12 days. Growth rate is quite rapid although sexual maturity is reportedly not attained until they reach 6-7 months of age.

Oliver Legros in BKA newsletter No.328, January 1993 states that this species is prolific & does well left as a natural method with not too many adults in the tank. Eggs reported as hatching in 15 - 20 days. Longitudinal banding starts to appear after 2½ months. At 3 months males start showing with a luminous light blue reflection on the anal fin. Some populations show through as a yellow reflection (Kopongo). Growth at this point slows with spawning starting around 6 months.

Diameter of Egg 1.3 mm.
Remarks

Males have been known to fight amongst each other to the point where fin damage occurs.

Legros in BKA newsletter 328 reports that 'males can live together in large numbers without any sign of aggression'.