The banded lampeye (''Aplocheilichthys spilauchen'') is a species of
poeciliid that is native to Africa, ranging from
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤠(Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤠ðž ...
to
Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
. It is mainly found in coastal
brackish
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...
habitats (only infrequently in pure fresh or salt water) such as river mouths, lagoons and
mangrove swamps.
[
]
Description
Banded lampeyes are small killifish, with an average length of with a somewhat cylindrical body and short, rounded fins. It has round scales and a dorsally flattened head with the a terminal mouth. They are a pale cream in colour with an iridescent silvery blue band running along the flanks, this band is more marked towards the tail. Males have the rear of the body, close to the tail, marked with vertical bars which are the same colour as the band along the flanks, their fins will be more intensively coloured than those of the females. There is a bright spot above the, which gives rise to the common name lampeye.
Distribution
Banded lampeyes are found in river mouths along the western coast of Africa. In West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
this species occurs from the Senegal River
,french: Fleuve Sénégal)
, name_etymology =
, image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Fishermen on the bank of the Senegal River estuary at the outskirts of Saint-Louis, Senegal ...
to Nigerial; a second population is found around the mouth of the Congo River
The Congo River ( kg, Nzâdi Kôngo, french: Fleuve Congo, pt, Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharge ...
and nearby estuaries and deltas from Cameroon to Angola. The southernmost records are from the Chiloango River in Cabinda and the Lower Cuanza River
The Kwanza River, also known as the Coanza, the Quanza, and the Cuanza, is one of the longest rivers in Angola. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean just south of the national capital Luanda.
Geography
The river is navigable for about from its ...
near Luanda
Luanda () is the capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Angola's administrative centre, its chief seaport ...
.[
]
Habitat and biology
The banded lampeye is a sedentary, benthopelagic fish. It is found in brackish water in coastal swamps, river mouths, lagoons and mangroves and is rarely recorded in either pure freshwater or pur marine water.[ It is a carnivorous species which feeds on insect larvae, small aquatic insects, small crustaceans, and worms.][ This species is not a live bearer and the females scatter their eggs over plants when spawning, the eggs sticking to the plants. They can live for up to five years in captivity.][
]
Taxonomy
Currently the only member of ''Aplocheilichthys'',[ this genus formerly included numerous other species that now are placed in '' Foerschichthys'', '']Lacustricola
''Lacustricola'' is a genus of poeciliids native to East Africa, East, Southern Africa, Southern and Middle Africa.
Species
There are currently 20 recognized species in this genus:
* ''Lacustricola atripinna'' (Georg Johann Pfeffer, Pfeffer, 18 ...
'', ''Micropanchax
''Micropanchax'' is a genus of poeciliids native to Africa.
Species
The 13 recognized species in this genus are:
* ''Micropanchax antinorii'' (Vinciguerra, 1883) (black lampeye)
* ''Micropanchax bracheti'' (Heinz Otto Berkenkamp, Berkenkamp, 19 ...
'', ''Pantanodon
''Pantanodon'' is a genus of poeciliids native to East Africa and Madagascar.
Species
There are currently two recognized species in this genus:
* ''Pantanodon madagascariensis'' ( Arnoult, 1963)
* ''Pantanodon stuhlmanni
The eastcoast lampeye ...
'', ''Plataplochilus
''Plataplochilus'' is a genus of poeciliid fishes native to Middle Africa.
Species
There are currently six recognized species in this genus:
* '' Plataplochilus cabindae'' (Boulenger, 1911)
* '' Plataplochilus chalcopyrus'' J. G. Lambert, 1963 ...
'', ''Poropanchax
''Poropanchax'' is a genus of small poeciliid fishes native to Africa.
Species
There are currently six recognized species in this genus:
* ''Poropanchax brichardi '' (Poll, 1971) (Brichard's lampeye)
* ''Poropanchax luxophthalmus'' ( Brüning, ...
'' and '' Rhexipanchax''.[Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2017)]
Scientific Names where Genus Equals ''Aplocheilichthys'' in FishBase.
!-- search for "Aplocheilichthys" in Genus box --> April 2017 version. The 5th edition of ''Fishes of the World
''Fishes of the World'' by the American ichthyologist Joseph S. Nelson (1937–2011) is a standard reference for fish systematics. Now in its fifth edition (2016), the work is a comprehensive overview of the diversity and classification of the ...
'' places the genus ''Aplocheilichthys'' in the monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Aplocheilichythinae[ Abstract]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1768407
Poeciliidae
Freshwater fish genera
Freshwater fish of Africa
Fish described in 1861
Taxa named by Auguste Duméril
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot