Archiaphyosemion maeseni (Poll 1941)

Arch.maeseni. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Meaning of Name

After Arne Maesen who participated in the collection of this species.
First Description

Poll M. 1941.

Poissons nouveaux de la Cote d'Ivoire.

Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines 34 (2): p 141-142, figure 5.

Size

6 cm
Meristics
  • D = 11, A = 15, ll = 30 (Poll 1941)
  • D = 11-14, A = 15-16, D/A = +5-9, ll = 28-31(+1-3) (Berkenkamp & Etzel 1977)
  • D = 9-14, A = 14-18, ll = 27-34 (Radda & Pürzl 1987)
Karyotype

n = 21, A = 26 (Scheel 1990)
Sub-Genus

 
Group

maeseni
Synonyms
  • Panchax cameronensis var. obscurus (non Ahl 1924) Pellegrin 1933 (in part)
  • Panchax liberiensis (non Boulenger 1908) Pellegrin 1933 (in part)
  • Aphyosemion liberiensis (non Boulenger 1908) Daget 1948
  • Roloffia maeseni Clausen 1967
Populations
  • Behple
  • Gouessesso (western Ivory Coast/Guineé)
  • Gueupleu (Ivory Coast)
  • Lema (Lama?)(Ivory Coast)
  • Lola (Guineé) GRC 90 / 174
  • Maliki (Liberia)
  • Man
  • Masei River (Ivory Coast)
  • Mount Nimba (area)
  • N'zerekore (Guineé)
  • Saglepie (Liberia)
  • Salayea (Liberia)
  • Saniquellie (Liberia)
  • Souba (Ivory Coast)
  • T'chiens (Liberia)
  • Wadalna (Liberia)
  • Zor Zor (Liberia)

Archiaphyosemion aff. maeseni

  • Beh ple (northeastern Liberia)

GRC 90 / 174 - Lola
Photo courtesy of Christian Cauvet.

 

 

Likado - http://home8.swipnet.se/%7Ew-86183/likado.htm Alf & Anitas site.

Lola - Collected by Christian Cauvet & Raymond Romand in 1990 & distributed as GRC 90 / 174.

Masei River (Type locality) - Collected by Poll in 1941.

Mount Nimba (area) - Collected by Daget in 1948.

N'zerekore - Collected by Olsen in 1963-64.

Pellegrin is known to have collected in western Ivory Coast in 1934. Also, Etzel & Putz collected them from an unknown location.

http://www.nakashima.org/gaphyo_maeseni.htm

Type Locality

Given as 'Confluence between the Masei River & the Bon de Boan River, a tributary of the Noun River, near the border with Liberia, western Ivory Coast' according to Wildekamp (World of Killies Vol I).
Distribution

Middle Sassandra River drainage, western Ivory Coast. Upper Saint Paul, upper Saint John & upper Cess River drainages, northern Liberia, Upper Saint John & Milo River drainages, eastern Guinea.
Habitat

Small streams, brooks & pools in areas of forested savannah.
Distinguishing Characteristics This is a robust species of rather drab colouration. The anal fin has a light blue border in the outer margin. The fish distributed as aff.maeseni has a red border in place of this light blue. Also, the anal has no markings, whereas maeseni has a spotted pattern in this fin.
Colour/Pattern Variability Low
History

In 1941 Poll described Aphyosemion maeseni from a single specimen, probably a male, collected in the Masei River (see type locality above).

Scheel mentions in ROTOW 1 that no other material was published to date (at least until 1968).
Breeding Notes

Reportedly not an easy species to breed. Eggs water incubate for around 14 days. Sexual maturity is reached at about 6 months.
Diameter of Egg  
Remarks

Not one of the most colourful ex-Roloffia species.