Nothobranchius albertinensis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
Family: | Nothobranchiidae |
Genus: | Nothobranchius |
Species: | N. albertinensis |
Binomial name | |
Nothobranchius albertinensis | |
Nothobranchius albertinensis is a species of brightly colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to seasonal freshwater habitats in north-western Uganda. It is currently known from ephemeral pools and marshes associated with the Albert Nile drainage, as well as small river systems draining into the north-eastern part of Lake Albert. [2]
The small and colourful Nothobranchius fishes inhabit ephemeral habitats in freshwater wetlands of Africa and have extreme life-history adaptations. Members of the genus are recognized as seasonal fishes, with all known species having an annual or semi-annual life cycle, a key adaptation to reproduce in the seasonally arid savannah biome and allowing their eggs to survive the periodic drying up of the seasonal natural habitats. [3]
Nothobranchius fishes are subject to high levels of threat, with 72% of the species falling into one of the Threatened Red List categories, as a consequence of habitat destruction of seasonal wetlands. There is, therefore, a need to conserve ephemeral waters for species that rely on the seasonality of habitats. Phases in the seasonal life cycle underscore the vulnerabilities of ecological factors that need to be preserved to maintain the structural integrity of the habitats throughout both seasonal phases of wet and dry seasons. [4]
Nothobranchius is a genus of small, freshwater killifish, classified in the family Nothobranchiidae in the order Cyprinodontiformes. There are about a hundred species in the genus, many with very small distributions. They are primarily native to East Africa from Sudan to northern South Africa, whereas a dozen species are found in the upper Congo River Basin; the greatest species richness is in Tanzania.
Nothobranchius geminus is a species of killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Tanzania. Its natural habitat is intermittent freshwater pools where it feeds on invertebrates at the surface.
The redtail notho is a species of killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Zanzibar. Its natural habitats are intermittent rivers and intermittent freshwater marshes. The redtail notho eats mosquito larvae and other planktonic creatures. Scientists are looking at introducing the species elsewhere in Africa to help with malaria prevention.
Nothobranchius kirki, the redfin notho, is a species of killifish from the family Nothobranchiidae which is endemic to Malawi where it occurs in the drainages of Lake Malawi and Lake Chilwa. It inhabits swamps and ephemeral pools. This species can reach a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. This species was described in 1969 by the South African ichthyologist Rex Jubb from types collected by R. G. Kirk, who was a fish biologist of the Agricultural Research Services part of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Malawi, from a pool adjacent to the Likangala River which forms part of the endorheic basin of Lake Chilwa in Malawi.
The small scaled nothobranch is a species of killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is [occurs in northeastern Africa on Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. Its natural habitat is intermittent freshwater wetlands.
Nothobranchius neumanni is a species of killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Tanzania. It occurs in both perennial and seasonal wetlands including rivers, lakes and ponds where it most likely feeds on planktonic crustaceans. This species was described as Fundulus neumanni by Franz Hilgendorf in 1905. The specific name honours Hilgendorf's companion on some of his expeditions to Africa, the German ornithologist Oscar Neumann (1867-1946).
The spotted killifish is a small, short lived species of fish, an African rivuline from the family Nothobranchiidae. These fish are native to many isolated freshwater pools located in the savannah depressions of east Africa, specifically Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. This species of fish occurs in ephemeral waters and killifish eggs can survive long periods of dehydration. The word killifish likely comes from the Dutch kil for kill.
Nothobranchius furzeri, the turquoise killifish, is a species of killifish from the family Nothobranchiidae native to Africa where it is only known from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This annual killifish inhabits ephemeral pools in semi-arid areas with scarce and erratic precipitations and have adapted to the routine drying of their environment by evolving desiccation-resistant eggs that can remain dormant in the dry mud for one and maybe more years by entering into diapause.
Nothobranchius ditte is a species of brightly colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae, belonging to the Nothobranchius brieni species complex. It is endemic to freshwater habitats in the south-eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Adult males reach a length of about 40–42 mm, but the females are slightly smaller. The species is a semi-annual killifish. They inhabit ephemeral pools filled by rainwater during the monsoon season, being adapted to the alteration of dry and wet seasons. As with all members of the genus Nothobranchius, they show extreme life-history adaptations: their embryos survive by entering a three or four month long diapause, within eggs that have a very hard chorion and are resistant to desiccation and hypoxia. When the habitats dry up, the adult fish die and the eggs survive encased in the clay during the dry season.
Nothobranchius brieni is a species of brightly colored fish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to freshwater habitats in the south-eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nothobranchius sainthousei is a species of brightly red- and blue colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to freshwater habitats in the Chembe district of the Luapula Province in northern Zambia. It was named in honour of Ian Sainthouse, a "renowned breeder and collector of killifish, for his special longstanding dedication to researches on the genus Nothobranchius".
Béla Nagy, a Hungarian independent researcher, specialized in the seasonal killifish genus Nothobranchius, as well as members of the family Procatopodidae within the order Cyprinodontiformes.
Nothobranchius attenboroughi is a species of brightly colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Tanzania. It is currently known from ephemeral pools and marshes associated with the Grumeti River and other small systems draining into Lake Victoria at the east side of the lake, which ecological integrity is maintained by the congruence of its catchments largely within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.
Nothobranchius taiti is a species of brightly coloured seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. It is endemic to Uganda. It is known from temporary pools and swamps formed on the seasonal floodplains of Apapi River system. The Apapi River is part of the Lake Kyoga basin in the upper Nile drainage in eastern Uganda.
Nothobranchius flagrans is a species of brightly coloured killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is currently known from temporary swamps in the Dikuluwe system in the lower Lufira River drainage.
Nothobranchius chochamandai is a species of seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is known only from the area of the type locality - ephemeral marshes of the Kinikabwimba River, a tributary of Lufutishi River in the middle Luapula River drainage.
Nothobranchius milvertzi is a species of seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to northern Zambia. It is known only from the area of the type locality - ephemeral pools formed on the floodplain and in the seasonal riverbeds of the Lushiba Marsh in the Lake Mweru basin, Luapula Province, northern Zambia.
Nothobranchius angelae is a species of brightly colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to seasonal freshwater habitats in north-central Tanzania in Eastern Africa.
Nothobranchius hoermanni is a species of brightly colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to seasonal freshwater habitats in central Tanzania. It is currently known from ephemeral pools and marshes associated with the Mhwala system in the upper Wembere drainage, as well as the Wala system, a tributary of the Malagarasi drainage. The type locality is associated with the headwaters of the Mhwala system.
Nothobranchius cooperi is a species of brightly colored seasonal killifish in the family Nothobranchiidae. This species is endemic to seasonal freshwater habitats in northern Zambia. It is known from temporary pools and swamps on the floodplains of the Mansa and Lufimba river systems in Zambia.