Blue Lyretail
Encyclopedia
Blue Lyretail also known as Steel-blue Aphyosemion and Gardner's Killi. It is a species
of killifish
that inhabits the tributary streams and marshes of the Benue
and Cross River
basins of Nigeria
and Cameroon
. It occurs in both savanna
and forest
ed regions. Like the Lyretail Panchax (Aphyosemion australe), it has become a popular species
in aquarium
s. Breeding pairs of the Blue Lyretail most often lay their eggs
over the bottom, but occasionally also among the roots of free-floating aquatic plant
s. Pairs stay close for some time, with just a few eggs being produced each day.
:
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of killifish
Killifish
A killifish is any of various oviparous cyprinodontiform fish . Altogether, there are some 1270 different species of killifish, the biggest family being Rivulidae, containing more than 320 species...
that inhabits the tributary streams and marshes of the Benue
Benue River
The Benue River is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately 1,400 km long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months...
and Cross River
Cross River (Nigeria)
Cross River is the main river in southeastern Nigeria and gives its name to Cross River State.It originates in Cameroon, where it takes the name of the Manyu River....
basins of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
. It occurs in both savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
and forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed regions. Like the Lyretail Panchax (Aphyosemion australe), it has become a popular species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
s. Breeding pairs of the Blue Lyretail most often lay their eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
over the bottom, but occasionally also among the roots of free-floating aquatic plant
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
s. Pairs stay close for some time, with just a few eggs being produced each day.
Subspecies
There are several valid subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
:
- Blue lyretail – Fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri (BoulengerGeorge Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1911) - EjaghamEkoi peopleEkoi people, also known as Ejagham, are an ethnic group in the extreme southeast of Nigeria and extending eastward into Northern Cameroon. Ekoid Bantu languages are spoken by many groups, including the Atam, Boki, Mbembe, Ufia, and Yako...
killi – Fundulopanchax gardneri lacustris (Langton, 1974) - MamfeMamfeMamfe is a city and capital of the Manyu department of the Southwest Province in Cameroon. It is located from the border of Nigeria, on the Manyu River. It has a population of 20,300 . It is known as a centre for traditional religion and traditional medicine...
killi – Fundulopanchax gardneri mamfensis (Radda, 1974) - Nigerian killi – Fundulopanchax gardneri nigerianus (Clausen, 1963)