Description of Callopanchax sidibei (Nothobranchiidae: Epiplateinae), a new species of killifish
from southwestern Guinea, West Africa
A new species of the annual killifish genus Callopanchax (Nothobranchiidae: Epiplateinae) is described from
coastal Guinea, West Africa. It is distinguished from its congeners by morphological and colour pattern characters including
up to three irregular and interrupted horizontal stripes on blue flanks in males. A preliminary DNA study indicates
that it is closely related with C. occidentalis and C. toddi, which is supported by the following apomorphic characters
compared to the more distantly related C. monroviae: a dark red or black postopercular blotch and an origin of the
dorsal fin anterior to or above the first ray of the anal fin. The species first turned up in commercial imports of ornamental
fish from Guinea. The local collectors, the Sidibe family, are acknowledged for sharing their knowledge on this species
and their support to the second author during his collections by naming it Callopanchax sidibei, new species. Currently
it is only known from the type locality and is endemic to Guinea.
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