After Father Gerard Schlupp of the Zanaga mission post for assistance to John Buytaert & Walter Wachters in collecting the sp.

Radda A.C. & Huber J.H. 1978.

Die Rivulinae des südlichen Kongo (Brazzaville) I, Die Beschreibung von vier neun Arten Gattung Aphyosemion Myers.

Aquaria 25: p 173-187, figure 4-7.

4.5cm

D = 11-12, A = 13-15, D/A = +6, ll = 29-31 (+1-2) (Radda & Huber 1978)

n = 14, A = 24 (Scheel 1981)

Mesoaphyosemion

• ogoense (according to Radda & Huber 1970)
• thysi (according to Wildekamp 1993)

None

• Ekouma River (southwestern Congo)
• Loutoko
• Mossendjo
• Obilly (southwestern Congo)
• Voula
• RPC 18
• RPC 27
• RPC 28
• RPC 29
• RPC 30
• RPC 202

RPC 18 - Collected 5 km beyond the bridge over the river Mpoukou on the road from Mossendjo - Komono. At 1300 hrs air temperature 23°C, water temperature 18°C, pH 6·5. Sympatric sp. A.pyrophore, Neolebias trewavasae, Chromidotilapia sciloango, Ctenopoma, Hypsopanchax zebra, Nannocharax altus.
RPC 27 - Collected in the Poubila River, 1 km from the village of Ingoumina on the road from Zanaga - Sibiti. At 1400 hrs air temperature 19°C, water temperature 18°C, pH 6·5. Sympatric sp. A.caudofasciatum, Hypsopanchax zebra, Barbus sp.(3).
RPC 28 - Collected in the Ekouma River near the village of Ogooue between Zanaga & Voula II. At 1400 hrs air temperature 19°C, water temperature 18°C, pH 6. Sympatric sp. A.caudofasciatum, A.buytaerti, Hypsopanchax zebra, Barbus sp.(3), Hepsetus odoe, Phenacogrammus aurantiacus, Barbus aff.jae, Ctenopoma nanum.
RPC 29 - Holotype. Collected in a roadside stream a few kms on the northern route from Zanaga. Sympatric sp. A.ogoense (form), Hypsopanchax zebra, Barbus sp.(3).
RPC 202 - Zanaga. Sympatric sp. A.wachtersi, A.caudofasciatum, Hysopanchax zebra, Barbus (2 sp.), Ctenopoma nanum, Nannocharax fasciatum, Characoid.

A brook located on the road from Zanaga to the Ogowe River in southern Congo.

Found between Mossendjo & Komono, southwestern Congo in the upper Ogowe & Louesse - Niari River drainages.

Rainforest brooks in the mountainous area of the province of Lekoumou, southern Congo. Sympatric with A.thysi, A.wachtersi & A.buytaerti.

This species has a general look all of its own in terms of body shape & the pointed dorsal & anal fins. Colouration is quite drab with little or no markings on the body. Pelvic, anal & dorsal fins carry varying dgrees of orange with the upper & lower outer margins to the caudal fin also showing this orange colouration (RPC 18).
Not a difficult species to seperate from other members of the genus.

First collected by Buytaert & Wachters at collection point RPC 18 on the 19th July 1978. They also found them at collection points RPC 27 on the 22nd July & RPC 28 & 29 on 23rd July. Of these collections only collections from 18 & 28 were returned alive to Europe.
John Buytaert returned to the area of Zanaga in July 1979 & found them at collection point RPC 202.
Imported to the UK & distributed by BKA Species Import Committee July/August 1979.

Not an easy species to breed. The RPC 18 population I had in the early 1980's failed to breed. Reports suggest water incubation takes 10-14 days. Fry are small on hatching & benefit from infusoria for the first couple of days. Growth rate is reported in some publications as slow whilst others consider it moderate with sexual maturity taking around 6-7 months.