Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cyprinodontiformes (Rivulines, killifishes and live bearers) >
Nothobranchiidae (African rivulines)
Etymology: Nothobranchius: Greek, nothos = false + Greek, brangchia = gill (Ref. 45335); balamaensis: The specific name, balamaensis, refers to the Balama region in the Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique, where the type locality for the species is located (Ref. 127332).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; pelagic. Tropical
Africa: seasonal Naconha River, upper Montepuez River system, in north-eastern Mozambique (Ref. 127332).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 127332)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 17; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 18. Diagnosis: Nothobranchius balamaensis is distinguished from all other members of the genus, except N. kirki, by the following unique combination of characters in males; body colouration bright iridescent light blue, with narrow brown-red to orange scale margins creating an irregular reticulated pattern; anal and caudal fins overall orange, darker in basal and proximal zones, grading through medial zone to lighter orange in distal zone and devoid of distinctive markings or banding; dorsal fin with marbled pattern in proximal region comprising irregular brown-red markings on yellow-orange background, distinct striated pattern parallel to fin rays in medial and distal zones with inter-ray membrane distinctive black between first 4-5 rays; anal fin shape mildly trapezoidal (Ref. 127332). Nothobranchius balamaensis differs from the closely related and most similar N. kirki by some elements of male colour pattern: anal fin devoid of markings or banding in proximal zone, vs. narrow light blue to white proximal band or series of irregular markings in N. kirki; dorsal fin with marbled proximal zone and prominently striated medial and distal zones, vs. marbled or vermicular pattern throughout proximal and medial zones with only a hint of striation pattern in distal zone of some specimens (Ref. 127332).
Found in pool in a seasonal stream course, less than 1 m in depth, with turbid and slow flowing water; riverbanks were covered by grass with remnants of Miombo vegetation (Ref. 127332).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Bragança, P.H.N., D.U. Bellstedt, P.D.W. Van der Merwe, F.P.D. Cotterill, B.R. Watters and A. Chakona, 2022. Nothobranchius balamaensis (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae), a new species of annual killifish from northern Mozambique. Zootaxa 5174(5):508-524. (Ref. 127332)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00472 - 0.02669), b=2.94 (2.74 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
