Abstract

During a survey of the fishes in the region of the Wonga-Wongué Presidential Reserve, 14 new populations of the subgenus Chromaphyosemion Myers, 1924 were found. These observations extend the previously known distribution range of the subgenus 120 kilometres southward. None of these populations could be related to any described species. Based on the colouration of the males and females, together with a genetic marker (mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequences), the populations studied are grouped into six new species which are described in this article, all close to Aphyosemion alpha Huber, 1998 with which they share the presence of a black alpha-shaped mark on the pre- and post-opercular region. The group composed of A. alpha and the six new species is referred to here as the A. alpha species group. All the new species, A. aurantiacum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov., A. barakoniense Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov., A. flammulatum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov., A. flavocyaneum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov., A. pusillum Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov. and A. rubrogaster Chirio, Legros & Agnèse sp. nov., are further unambiguously diagnosed by unique combinations of colour patterns, making it possible to generate an identification key for the A. alpha species group. It is likely that the coastal dunes of Wonga-Wongué that form a sandy relief, could have led to the fragmentation and then isolation of the hydrographical networks that flow into the Atlantic Ocean, making possible a significant number of allopatric speciations.

Highlights

  • Fishes of the genus Aphyosemion Myers, 1924 inhabit small rivers and freshwater streams in tropical and equatorial Africa, from Togo to Angola (Huber 2006)

  • Based on the colouration of the males and females, together with a genetic marker, the populations studied are grouped into six new species which are described in this article, all close to Aphyosemion alpha Huber, 1998 with which they share the presence of a black alpha-shaped mark on the pre- and post-opercular region

  • Differential diagnosis Differs from all other species in A. alpha group through combination of following features: head orange, flanks grey-mauve, ventral region orange, anal fin orange with some red dots

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Summary

Introduction

Fishes of the genus Aphyosemion Myers, 1924 inhabit small rivers and freshwater streams in tropical and equatorial Africa, from Togo to Angola (Huber 2006). Since there is a considerable overlapping in meristic characters among species of Aphyosemion (Huber 2000; Scheel 1968, 1990; Wildekamp 1993), diagnoses generally rely on the extraordinary colour patterns of males. The A. bivittatum group is placed in Chromaphyosemion Radda, 1971 which is considered as a subgenus of Aphyosemion (Agnèse et al 2006; Collier 2006) or a full genus (Legros et al 2005; Sonnenberg 2000, 2007a, 2007b; Völker 2006). Agnèse et al (2006) and Collier (2006) demonstrated that Chromaphyosemion is a monophyletic group, but still considered it as a subgenus of Aphyosemion until a complete taxonomic revision of the genus is done. Morphological, phenotypical and genetic analyses were performed in order to evaluate the taxonomic status of these newly-discovered populations in the coastal plains of Gabon

Material and methods
Results
Discussion

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