Epiplatys fasciolatus zimiensis Berkenkamp 1977

Meaning of Name

After the area of collection - Zimi.
First Description

Berkenkamp H. O. 1977.

Epiplatys zimiensis spec. nov., eine neue Hechtlingsart aus dem Überartenkreis Epiplatys fasciolatus aus Südwest Sierra Leone.

Aquarienfreund 6 (9): p 163-176, figures, maps.
Size

67.4 mm (according to the original description).
Meristics

D = 11-12, A = 18-20, D/A = +10-11, ll = 28-29(+1-3)(Berkenkamp 1977)
Karyotype

n = 18, A = 35 (Scheel 1968)
Sub-Genus

Epiplatys
Group

fasciolatus
Synonyms
  • Epiplatys zimiensis Berkenkamp 1977
  • Epiplatys species Roloff 1977
  • Aplocheilus fasciolatus Böhm 1979
  • Aplocheilus zimiensis 1990
Populations
  • Benduma (southwestern Liberia)
  • Bomi Hills ( PK80 )
  • Giensa
  • Kouma village
  • Perie
  • Zimi (Pujehun District, southeastern Sierra Leone)
  • SL 89

E.fasciolatus zimiensis.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

This form known as SL 89 & circulating in the AKA in 2004.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Coleman
Type Locality

A creek near Zimi in the Pujehun District, southwest Province of Sierra Leone. The biotope was a tributary of the Mano River which is part of the Maho River drainage system.
Distribution

Inhabits a hilly area which seperates the coastal plains from the higher inland plains in an area between the Moa & Moha Rivers. They have also been collected in southwestern Liberia extending to the Bomi Hills.

http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c102/c102mr/epiplaty/zimiensi.htm
Habitat

Rainforested areas in small rivers & streams which are shaded. Reports suggest that these biotopes have little vegetation..
Distinguishing Characteristics  
Colour/Pattern Variability  
History

As long ago as 1968 an importer in Vienna imported a bag labelled 'Gold fasciolatus' which were collected in Sierra Leone without any detailed collecting site information. Radda thought that these may be lamottei but later reconsidered them to be a form of fasciolatus.
Roloff collected fish at Zimi in 1969 & brought back a gold form of fasciolatus. Fred Wright et al found what was probably the same form on a collecting trip to this area in the village of Kouma in 1976 (SL 76 / 17).
Berkenkamp eventually named the form E.zimiensis in Der Aquarienfreund, September 1977 & Ichthologische Mitteilung No. 7.
Breeding Notes

I maintained this subspecies on 2 occaisions & found them easy to breed, laying eggs in top & bottom mops. Eggs were collected & water incubated in seperate containers.
Diameter of Egg  
Remarks