A team of international scientists have recently discovered and described a new type of ‘killifish’,Nothobranchius sylvaticus that is endemic to a Kenyan forest.
Scientific name -Nothobranchius sylvaticus, from the Latin meaning “pertaining to the forest".
It is also the 1st known endemic killifish to persist in a forest.
Genus – Nothobranchius
Known as "annual killifish" because they live in temporary pools that dry up seasonally, with their eggs surviving in the dry mud until the next rainy season.
Distinction - N. sylvaticus lineage diverged from its sister species about 7.09 million years ago.
Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial sequences, along with nuclear genes, identifies the new species as a distinct evolutionary lineage.
Morphology – Light blue scales on its trunk extend to cover its body, and the head is grey with distinct red lobes and brown-red oblique bars.
Dorsal and anal fins are golden, marked with dark grey dots and stripes, which merge into a uniform dark grey zone; the caudal fin is dark red to red, slender black distal band.
Sexual dimorphism
Males – They are generally larger than females.
Threats – Increasing impacts on land and water resources will continue to cause habitat degradation.
Conservation Status - It is critically endangered and may become extinct soon.
KilliFish
Killifish are oviparous or egg-laying fish.
There are around 1,270 species of killifish.
Size - Most killifish species are relatively small, typically reaching a length of 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm), although some can grow larger.
Appearance – Generally, male killifish will be far more colorful and have much more developed finnage than females.
Habitat - Killifish live in small pools of water in the wild, which may occasionally dry up.
This means that some species are not particularly long-lived and are unlikely to live for over 2 years.
Distribution – They are mainly found in the fresh or brackish waters of the Americas, southern Europe, much of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Diet - In the wild, killifish eat small crustaceans, insects, and seeds, while in aquariums, they can be fed live or frozen foods like brine shrimp, daphnia, and mosquito larvae.
