Fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri (Boulenger 1911)

This fish was distributed in the BKA in the 1980's as A.gardneri gardneri.

Meaning of Name

After Captain R.D.Gardner. Boulenger (1915) spells his name Gard'ner.
First Description

Boulenger G.A. 1911. (Fundulus gardneri).

Descriptions of New African Cyprinodont Fishes.

Ann. & Mag. Nat. History. Series 2 : (8) 8 (44): p 261.
Size

7 cm
Meristics
  • D = 13, A = 15-16, ll = 28-31 (Boulenger 1911 Fundulus gardneri).
  • D = 12-13, A = 14-15, ll = 30-34 (Boulenger 1911 Haplochilus brucii).
  • D = 12-13, A = 14-16, D/A = +5-6, ll = 28-34 (Scheel 1968).
Karyotype

n = 18, A = 34 (Scheel 1972)
Sub-Genus

Paraphyosemion
Group

gardneri
Synonyms
  • Fundulus gardneri Boulenger 1911
  • Haplochilus brucii Boulenger 1911
  • Aphyosemion (Fundulopanchax) gardneri Myers 1924
  • Fundulopanchax gardneri Meinken 1930
  • Aphyosemion gardneri Myers 1933
  • Haplochilus brucei Scheel 1968
  • Aphyosemion gardneri gardneri Böhm 1975
  • Fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri Lazara 1984
  • Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) gardneri Huber 1994

Populations

 Click on list to left for more detailed information on each population.
Type Locality

Okwoga. Situated at the headwaters of the Cross River, southeastern Nigeria.

Boulenger 1915 also lists collections from :-

  • Bendi District, Cross River (collected by Major W.A.C.Cockburn).
  • Old Calabar (Collected by Mr.J.Paul Arnold).
  • Swamps between Agwarba & Awka, Lower Niger (Collected by Capt.R.D.Gard'ner.
Distribution

Udi mountains in the upper Cross River drainage system, northwards into the lower Benue River drainage of eastern Nigeria.
Habitat

Swamps, small pools & swampy areas of brooks in humid rainforest & savannah.
Distinguishing Characteristics

Fairly easy to seperate from other sub species by having a very spotted body on a green/blue background. Anal fins are spotted & have no outer marginal band.

The Lafia population can be distinguished by a more greener background colouration to the upper body.
Colour/Pattern Variability Fp.gardneri gardneri populations fairly low. Not to be confused with other sub species or Fp.nigerianus.
History

First described as Fundulus gardneri by G.A.Boulenger in 1911. The 3 type specimens were collected by Captain R.D.Gardner at Okwoga, south eastern Nigeria & measured 60 mm in length. In the same year he described Haplochilus brucei collected by Major G.E.Bruce from a pool at Udi from the Cross River drainage . Later (1915) he considered brucei to represent a synonym of gardneri.

Boulenger gives the following collectors / locations in his 1915 Catalogue.

  • 1-3 (Types) Collected by Capt. R.D.Gard'ner at Okwoga, situated at the headwaters of the Cross River.
  • 4-11 (Types for H.brucii). Collected in a pool at Udi in the Cross River basin by Major G.E.Bruce.
  • 12-16. Collected by Major W.A.C.Cockburn in the Bendi District, Cross River.
  • 17. Collected in Old Calabar by J.P.Arnold
  • 18. Collected by Capt. R.D.Gard'ner in swamps between Agwarba & Awka, Lower Niger.

In 1976 Wright & Roberts collected a population near the Catholic mission at Lafia.

History of the synonym Haplochilus brucii Boulenger 1911

Boulenger described the sp. in 1911 from 8 specimens collected in a pool at Udi, Cross River drainage. He later ( 1915 ) considered the sp. as a synonym for gardneri.
Breeding Notes

Easily spawned. If you can't breed these it's time to hang up your mops!

Eggs are laid in top & bottom mops which can be collected & stored in a seperate container. They can be water stored for 14-21 days or laid on wet peat where they can be left to incubate for 4 weeks (some will go to 6 weeks). Fry will eat newly hatched brine shrimp as a first food. Growth rate rate is quite fast with sexual maturity showing at around 5-6 weeks.

A blue phase fish was tank bred from yellow phase Nsukka. This is not unusual for gardneri.
Diameter of Egg 1.1 mm
Remarks