Aphyosemion chauchei Huber & Scheel 1981

A.chauchei Masépé.
Photo courtesy of Gottfried Marschitz

Meaning of Name

After Maurice Chauche (French aquarist).

First Description

Huber J.H & Scheel J.J. 1981.

Revue systématique de la superspèce Aphyosemion elegans. Description de A.chauchei n.sp. et A.schioetzi n.sp.

Revue Française d'Aquariologie 8 (2) 36 pages with figure & map.

Size

4 cm

Meristics

D = 10-11, A = 15-16, ll = 30(+ 1-2) (Huber & Scheel 1981).

Karyotype

n = 12, A = 18 (Huber & Scheel 1981).

Sub-Genus

Aphyosemion

Group

A.elegans

Synonyms
  • Aphyosemion "COBWEST" Huber 1979. 'Congo Blue West'
Populations
  • RPC 78 / 130
  • RPC 78 / 132
  • RPC 78 / 134
  • RPC 78 / 136
  • RPC 91 / 1
  • RPC 91 / 2 ( Oyoué )
  • Masépé (or corruption Marsépé ? )
  • Obeya RPC 91/6
  • Ollombo Aphyosemion aff. chauchei RPC 96/5 (Ollombo Sawatzky) (Oltombo is a corruption from Wolfgang Grell)
  • Oyoué

RPC 130 / 78
Photo courtesy of Maurice Chauche & the KCF website.

A.chauchei Ollombo
Photo courtesy of Peter Tirbak

A.chauchei
Photo courtesy of Peter Tirbak

A.chauchei RPC 91 / 2
Photo courtesy of Pat Rimmer

RPC 91 / 2 female
Photo courtesy of Pat Rimmer

RPC 132, 134 & 136 all collected west & north of Makoua.

Type Locality

A slow flowing rainforest stream 20 km east of Mtoumbi towards Makoua.( RPC 130 ).

Distribution

North eastern Congo. In the Likona River system. The southern range of this sp. is restricted by savannah where A.schioetzi takes over.

Habitat

Crystal clear streams in deep primary forest.

Sympatric species include:- Adamas formosus, Epiplatys phoeniceps, Procatopus sp.Neolebias trewavasae, Ctenopoma nigropannosum.

Distinguishing Characteristics Perhaps the only sp. this fish could be confused with is A.lamberti.
Colour/Pattern Variability Most often confused with A.lamberti. A.chauchei has a yellow border in the anal fin.
History

Discovered by J.H.Huber on a collecting trip in 1978 to the west of Makoua in the forest spurs of the Congo plateau. ( RPC 130, 132, 134, & 136 ).
Wildekamp in 'A World of Killies Vol 1' reports them introduced as an aquarium fish in 1991.
It is possible a Frenchman collected & brought this sp. back to France in 1982. This form had more red spots on the sides than that of the type locality. All first generation fish from these all turned out female.

Breeding Notes

 

Diameter of Egg  
Remarks

Reports advise not taking this sp. over 24'C.