Aphyosemion escherichi (Ahl 1924)

A.escherichi Cap Esterias. Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Meaning of Name

After the collector Escherich.

First Description

Ahl E. 1924

Über neue afrikanische Zahnkarpfen der Gattung Panchax.

Zoologischer Anzeiger. 60 (3-4) pages 309-310.

Size

5 cm

Meristics
  • D = 11-12, A = 12-13, ll = 30-32 (Ahl 1924)
  • D = 10-12, A = 15-17, ll = 28-34 (Holly 1930)
  • D = 10-11, A = 12-14,D/A = +5-7, ll = 29-31 (Lambert & Géry 1968)
Karyotype

n = 19-20, A = 35-38 (Scheel 1974, 1981, 1990)(Huber & Scheel 1981). Variable between different populations.

Sub-Genus

Mesoaphyosemion

Group

striatum

Synonyms
  • Haplochilus striatus (non Boulenger 1911); Boulenger 1912
  • Haplochilus cameronensis (non Boulenger 1903); Arnold 1913
  • Panchax escherichi Ahl 1924
  • Aphyosemion cameronensis (non Boulenger 1903); Rachow 1928
  • Aphyosemion cameronense (non Boulenger 1903); Ladiges 1934
  • Panchax cameronensis (non Boulenger1903); David & Poll 1937 (in part)
  • Epiplatys striatus (non Boulenger 1911); Poll 1951 (in part)
  • Aphyosemion striatum (non Boulenger 1911); Lambert 1960
  • Aphyosemion escherichi Scheel 1968
  • Aphyosemion striatum microphtalmum Lambert & Géry 1968
  • Aphyosemion microphtalmum Scheel 1973
  • Aphyosemion simulans Radda & Huber 1975
  • Aphyosemion cf. microphthalmum Radda 1975
  • Aphyosemion microphthalmum simulans Radda 1980
  • Aphyosemion microphtalmum microphtalmum Lazara 1984
Populations
  • Boko Songo
  • Cap Estérias
  • Chiloango
  • Kikonde
  • Kinguele
  • Kouane
  • Lambaréné
  • Las Sarras
  • Mayumba
  • Méla
  • Moanda
  • Monts de Crystal
  • Ngongi
  • Ntoum
  • Song Mahi
  • Sounda
  • Tshela (western Zaire)

Lambarene. Wild male Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Lambarene. Wild female.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Moanda, Democratic Republic of Congo.
 Wild male.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl

Taken at the 2003 BKA convention.

  

A.escherichi taken 1989 when it was distributed in the BKA as A.microphtalmum.

Aphyosemion sp. Bitter - Following a thread on the AKA newsgroup about this fish I traced it back to Germany & found it to have been collected by Friedrich Bitter & Steffan Hellner in 2003 or 2004 in the northern part of Massif du Chaillu in Gabon.
Another fish called A.sp.Hellner looked like A.escherici.(thanks Rainer).
I think some confusion reigned about these 2 fish in imports to the USA. Reports suggest either the Bitter or Hellner form is being bred in the US in 2009. Doubt they reached UK shores as sp.Bitter but the photo above taken at the 2003 BKA convention is in the right time frame..
A.sp.Bitter may be a new species. Note the 3 lines at the rear of the body. Many ogoense only show 2 although some distributed as ogoense do show 3 lines of red which often appear as broken lines or spots.
This fish exhibits a distinct colour pattern.

A.sp. Bitter. Photo courtesy of N.O.K.A. a US Killie group.

A.sp. Bitter. Photo courtesy of Bill Shenefelt.

Bill Shenefelt commented that they were not easy to breed & he only raised 3 females & 1 male from his original stock.
From looking at the 3 red lines in the rear half of the body going into the caudal peduncle this is most likely a population of A.escherichi.

Type Locality

Attogondema (now spelt Atogondema), Nduya River (Scheel gives this as Nga River in ROTOW 1 from the original description), northern Gabon)

Distribution

The Como & Mbei River drainage systems of northwest Gabon extending southward towards western Gabon & Cabinda as far as the Chiloango River drainage system in western Zaire.
Well distributed on the coastal plain areas & also known to have distributed up the Mayombe hills.

Habitat

Swampy areas of brooks & streams in coastal rainforest.

South of Cocobeach, Gabon, biotop of A. escherichi & A. striatum.
Photo: Courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

East of Moanda, Zaire, biotope of A.escherichi.
Photo: Courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Location of GJS 00 / 2. Photo courtesy of Mogens Juhl

Location of GJS 00 / 2. Photo courtesy of Mogens Juhl

Analysing collected sp. at location of GJS 00 / 2. Photo courtesy of Mogens Juhl

GJS 00 / 2 - Massana.
Photo courtesy of Mogens Juhl.

GJS 00 / 2 - Massana.
Photo courtesy of Mogens Juhl.
Distinguishing CharacteristicsA long slender species with rows of spots forming lines horizontally from the head to the caudal peduncle.
Colour/Pattern VariabilityFairly low
History

Ahl described this sp. as Panchax escherichi in 1924 from 13 specimens collected by Escherich at Attogondema, Nga River, Cameroon (this area is strictly speaking in Gabon). The town is now spelt Atogondama & is situated at the upper reaches of the Nduya River.

The BKA has seen this species in auctions for many years in the guise of A.microphtalmum (1982+), A.simulans (later 1980's)& A.escherichi (1999).

Breeding Notes

I have maintained & bred this species in all the above names & each time found them easy to breed, laying numerous eggs on top & bottom mops. These are removed & water incubated in water. Hatching can be a little erratic, taking 10-20 days. Fry can take newly hatched brine shrimp as a first food. They grow quickly & reach sexual maturity at about 4 months.

You can easily find yourself inundated with young fish if you are not careful.

Diameter of Egg 
Remarks

This species is a jumper. Make sure their is not even the slightest gap for them to squeeze through.

If breeding becomes difficult carry out regular water changes (don't forget to add a little salt) & turn up the airflow causing a water movement.

It has been recommended that different populations should not be cross bred as their is a difference in karyotype between populations which could render offspring infertile.