Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Nothobranchiidae (African rivulines)
Etymology: melanopterygius: Named with regard to the black margin on the anal fin (Ref. 82704).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical; 24°C - 25°C (Ref. 82704)
Africa: Mount Nimba region, Guinea (Ref. 82704).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 82704)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 16; Vertebrae: 28. A closed frontal neuromast system with one groove, preopercular neuromast system with 5 pores (Ref. 82704). Males and females have no pattern of vertical dark bars on the side (Ref. 82704). First dorsal fin ray behind origin of anal fin, situated above anal fin ray 6-7 and behind middle of body (Ref. 82704). Pectoral fin extending posteriorly, not reaching origin of pelvic fin; pectoral fin not reaching anal fin (Ref. 82704). Scales cycloid; body and head entirely scaled, except for ventral surface of head; frontal squamation of E- or G-type (Ref. 82704). Compared with Nimbapanchax leucopterygius this species has a dark black or brown margin on the anal fin in males, sometimes with a white submarginal stripe, and mainly blue-green center of anal and caudal fin with some brown or reddish-brown irregular blotches in males (Ref. 82704).
Collected in small puddle at the bank of Cavally River with water temperature 24°C and in a small, slow flowing creek with a maximum depth of 60 cm and a water temperature of 25°C; water at the latter location was stained slightly brown, creek covered by small trees and bushes and its bank by herbaceous plants (Ref. 82704).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sonnenberg, R. and E. Busch, 2009. Description of a new genus and two new species of killifish (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from West Africa, with a discussion of the taxonomic status of Aphyosemion maeseni Poll, 1941. Zootaxa 2294:1-22. (Ref. 82704)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).