After Nigeria & the River Niger.

Clausen H.S. 1963. (Aphyosemion nigerianum).

Description of three new species of Aphyosemion Myers from Nigeria & Cameroun.

Videnskabelige Meddeleser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening 125: p 197-201, figures A-C.

7 cm.

• D = 14-15, A = 15-17, ll = 31-32 (Clausen 1963)
• D = 14-15, A = 15, ll = 32-33 (Wright & Jeremy 1974)
• D = 12-15, A = 15-17, ll = 30-33 (Scheel 1968)

n = 18-20, A = 27-33 (Scheel 1972)

Paraphyosemion

gardneri

• Aphyosemion calliurum (non Boulenger 1911) Villcock 1960
• Aphyosemion calliurum calliurum (non Boulenger 1911)
• Aphyosemion calliurum ahli (non Myers 1933) Klee 1960
• Aphyosemion nigerianum Clausen 1963
• Aphyosemion gardneri type from Obudu Wright 1973
• Aphyosemion gardneri obuduense Wright & Jeremy 1974
• Aphyosemion gardneri nigerianum Radda 1974
• Aphyosemion gardneri clauseni Scheel 1975 (nomen nudum)
• Aphyosemion NSC 6 Baker-Carr 1975
• Aphyosemion nigerianum nigerianum Kottelat 1976
• Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) obuduense obuduense Kottelat 1976
• Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) nigerianum meridionale Kottelat 1976 (nomen nudum)
• Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) biafranum Kottelat 1976 (nomen nudum)
• Aphyosemion obuduense Huber 1977
• Aphyosemion clauseni Huber 1977
• Aphyosemion gardneri clauseni Radda & Wildekamp 1978
• Fundulopanchax gardneri obuduensis Lazara 1984
• Fundulopanchax gardneri nigerianus Lazara 1984
• Fundulopanchax biafranum Lazara 1984
• Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) gardneri nigerianum Huber 1994
• Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) gardneri clauseni Huber 1994
• The 'Benue' gardneri

Populations

This is a very complicated species of vastly varying colour forms even within a population. Click population links (where available) below for more information/images).

• ABAKALIKI (ABAKALBI is sometimes seen which is a corruption)
• ABAKALIKI
• ABUJA
• AKKAMKPA
• BAISSA
• DUMBO
  
• German Import 1982
• INNIDERE
• JIKER
• JOS PLATEAU
• KADUNA
• KANO
• LOKOJA
• MAKURDI
• MISAJE
• P82
• RAYFIELD
• TARKA RIVER
• UDEGI
• VOM
• Weh - ADL 13 / 20
• ADL 13 / 16 - Dumbo
• CI 05
• NSC 6
• NTC 07 / 2

Abakaliki - This population may be Abakalbi. I did a search for this name but it could not be found. Toyin Ojo considered Abakaliki to be the true name. This population has most probably not been in the UK. A line drawing was put into the BKA newsletter No.322, July 1992, page 14 but I am unable to insert it due to copyright problems.

Abuja - See the Abuja page.

Akkamkpa - Fred Wright collected here in the '70's & was adamant that the village had 2 k's. The site has been adjusted accordingly.
Ruud Wildekamp & Ton Cooymans collected from this area in January 1990.

Baissa - See the Baissa page.

Dumbo - ADL 13 / 16 - Link to Stofmania site with video & photo's from the location. Water Temperature 18·3 °C, pH 6.5, Conductivity 20 µS.

Arum, north of Wamba & on the foothills south west of the Jos Plateau. The biotope was a swamp.

This species has a large distribution area covering the River Niger delta in the south of Nigeria northwards to the Jos River Plateau & on towards Kano which appears to be the northern boundary. Eastwards, distribution follows the River Benue into the Cameroon mountains where the Misajé population is found.

Click link to map of gardneri distribution. This comprises all populations I can find on maps. You can zoom in but markers are not accurate to the exact collection spot, just the area which builds up a picture of distribution. map

With such a wide distribution area it's not surprising that this species is found in a variety of biotopes. They have been caught in mountain streams (Misajé), 200 foot wide rivers (Makurdi), seasonal flood plains (Lokoja) & small roadside pockets of water.

Also known to inhabit swampy parts of pools, brooks & small streams in secondary forested areas.

First recorded collection of this species goes back to 1955 where H.S.Clausen discovered them at Akure, western Nigeria.
In 1957 fish from this population line were taken live to J.J.Scheel in Denmark by J.Birket Smith.
In 1958 Scheel distributed 60 eggs to other fish keepers as far away as New Zealand & Uruguay. Originally he distributed these as Aphyosemion calliurum.
Ulf Hannerz caught 2 small males from Wokocha River, near Port Harcourt, eastern Niger Delta. These were sent to Scheel.
H.S.Clausen in 1962 collected live fish from Owo east of Akure. These were also sent to Scheel.

The type specimens (eight in all) were collected by Clausen in 1963 at Arum which is situated to the south west of Jos Plateau in the foothills. At first they were considered to be a new species & he named them Aphyosemion (Fundulopanchax) nigerianus Clausen 1963. He also collected many other forms from other areas of Nigeria. Scheel later conducted crossing experiments with material from Eyoumojok & found them to be genetically related.

Black & white photos (parts) in 'Naturalists Guide to Freshwater Fish' by J.J.Hoedeman showing some of the earliest fish imported.
Certainly pre 1975. Two different varieties called Yellow & Blue.

A visiting German aquarist (unnamed) came to the UK on January 17th 1966 & brought with him a few sp. including eggs of the then known A.nigerianum. This was probably the first introduction to the UK. See BKA Killi-News No.7, March 1966.

An easy species to breed, laying eggs on top & bottom mops. They will also lay in peat. Eggs are very tough & capable of withstanding fairly long periods of dry incubation. The Lokoja population is well adapted to this capable of dry storage periods up to two months. Other populations will take 4-6 weeks of dry incubation on damp peat. Fry are large enough to take newly hatched brine shrimp on hatching.

Scheel found that eggs taking a long time to hatch (resting fry) did so 'depending on the type of water used for the eggs' although he did not say what the types were. See BKA newsletter No.387, December 1997.