Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Nothobranchiidae (African rivulines)
Etymology: Nothobranchius: Greek, nothos = false + Greek, brangchia = gill (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Ahl.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 7.5 - 8.3; non-migratory. Tropical; 23°C - 31°C (Ref. 96650)
Africa: Pangani River basin, Tanzania (Ref. 96650).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 96650)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 18. Diagnosis: Nothobranchius vosseleri is a member of a group of Nothobranchius species of relatively large size and with a slender body, less than 30% of standard length, compared to other species of the genus; and a distinct red caudal fin in male (Ref. 96650). It can be distinguished from other species of the so-called N. melanospilus group by a pointed snout, and the presence of a dark vertical bar through the iris (Ref. 96650).
Nothobranchius vosseleri was observed from a wide variety of habitats, including ephemeral pools, temporary creeks, man-made ditches and small, probably permanent, streams; bordering vegetation of grasses and stands of Typha and Cyperus were found at all localities (Ref. 96650). It is an annual species, its annual reproduction was confirmed in the aquarium; eggs are, after a short courtship, deposited in the bottom substrate, which is mainly silt with an addition of decayed plant material (Ref. 96650). Like all other known Nothobranchius species, the eggs survive the dry season by delayed hatching; the majority of eggs are hatchable 8 to 10 weeks after spawning; growth is fast, after 6 to 7 weeks of age the young fishes may reproduce (Ref. 96650).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Wildekamp, R.H., B.R. Watters and I.F.N. Sainthouse, 1998. Redescription of Nothobranchius vosseleri (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheilidae), an annual fish from the Tanzanian coastal plains. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 8(4):289-298. (Ref. 96650)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01096 (0.00449 - 0.02680), b=2.92 (2.71 - 3.13), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
