Mvimba

Michel Keijman writes: "Many of you will already be familiar with the genus Chromaphyosemion, a group that harbors an astonishing number of brilliantly coloured representatives. One of these particularly attractive species is Chromaphyosemion lugens, originating from the rainforest regions of southern Cameroon.

During my 2025 expedition through Cameroon, I encountered this beautiful variant of C. lugens in a tiny primary forest stream called the Mvimba, belonging to the Lobé River system. At that time, I decided not to bring any specimens back home with me. However, during my most recent visit in February 2026, I eventually did collect a small group.

Unfortunately, luck has not really been on my side with this species, and at present only a single male remains. Very recently, I managed to take a few new photographs of this stunning survivor, one of which I would like to share with you." FB/May 29, 2026



00-0-Copr_2002_Anthony_C_Terceirat.jpg
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xs sm lg
00-0-Copr_2026-Florian_Lehrmant.jpg
00-0-Copr_2026-Florian_Lehrman.jpg
xs sm med lg
00-0-Copr_2026-Oliver_Legrost.jpg
00-0-Copr_2026-Oliver_Legros.jpg
xs sm lg
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10709-005-4267-1

Genetica
September 2005, Volume 125, Issue 1, pp 33-41
Karyotype Differentiation in Chromaphyosemion Killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes, Nothobranchiidae). I: Chromosome Banding Patterns of C. Alpha, C. Kouamense and C. Lugens
Martin Völker, Petr Ráb, Harald Kullmann

Abstract
The karyotypes of three recently described species of Chromaphyosemion, namely C. lugens, C. alpha and C. kouamense, were analysed using conventional Giemsa staining, C-banding and sequential banding (fluorescence banding with 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and Chromomycin A3 (CMA3), C-banding, AgNO3-staining). Diploid chromosome numbers ranged from 2n = 36 in C. lugens to 2n = 38 in C. alpha and C. kouamense. The karyotype of C. lugens consisted of one pair of metacentric (m) and 17 pairs of telocentric (t) chromosomes, that of C. alpha was composed of one pair of submetacentric (sm), six pairs of subtelocentric (st) and 12 pairs of t chromosomes, and that of C. kouamense comprised five pairs of st and 14 pairs of t chromosomes. In addition to the differences in karyotype structures and/or chromosome numbers, the karyotypes of the examined species differed with respect to NOR phenotype and distribution and base composition of heterochromatin. No heteromorphic sex chromosomes were detected in any of the species. Our findings provide cytotaxonomic evidence for the species distinctness of C. alpha, C. kouamense and C. lugens whose descriptions were based primarily on external morphology.







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Richard J. Sexton