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); pienaari: Named after Dr. U. de V. Pienaar, retired biologist of the Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa, and discoverer of Nothobranchius species, in honour of his efforts to protect and conserve these populations; the species name is pronounced 'pea-nahri' (Ref. 85866).
Eponymy: Dr Uys de Villiers ‘Tol’ Pienaar (1930–2011) was a South African biologist and game warden, whose doctorate was awarded by Wits Medical School (1953). [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical
Africa: coastal lowlands of central and southern Mozambique and northeastern South Africa (Ref. 85866).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 85866); 3.6 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 17. Diagnosis: Morphology similar to Nothobranchius rachovii and N. krysanovi but distinguished from those by a slightly deeper body in males (Ref. 85866). Nothobranchius pienaari is distinguished from other species of the genus by the following combination og characters: male with colouration consisting of alternating blue-green to grey-green and dark red-brown to almost black scale margins and oblique bars on body and dorsal and anal fins, dark brown spotted basal half of caudal fin, and orange subterminal and black terminal band (Ref. 85866). It can be distinguished from the other species of the subgenus Nothobranchius as follows: from N. furzeri by male colouration and a slightly higher number of dorsal fin rays, 14-16 vs. 14-15; from N. orthonotus by male colouration, lower number of scales on the mid-longitudinal series, 26-31 vs. 28-33; and from N. kadleci by male colouration and shape of the frontal region, higher number of dorsal and anal fin rays, 14-16 vs. 13-14 and 15-17 vs. 13-14 (Ref. 85866). Female distinguished by faint brown oblique bars on posterior part of flanks (Ref. 85866). Nothobranchius pienaari can also be distinguished from N. rachovii and N. krysanovi by a much higher number of diploid chromosomes, 2n=34 vs. 2n=16 for N. rachovii and 2n=18 for N. krysanovi; it can also be distinguished from the karyotypes of N. furzeri and N. orthonotus that both have with 2n=38 a higher number of chromosomes (Ref. 85866).
Found in temporary pools and swamps in the floodplains of several rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean south of the lower Zambezi River; usually found in water-filled depressions in the floodplains of rivers and bordering swamps; water depth is variable with the progress of the season (Ref. 85866). Aquatic vegetation may consist of Nymphea, Ottelia, Lagarosiphon and Utricularia species (Ref. 85866).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Shidlovskiy, K.M., B.R. Watters and R.H. Wildekamp, 2010. Notes on the annual killifish species Nothobranchius rachovii (Cyprinodontiformes; Nothobranchiidae) with the description of two new species. Zootaxa 2724:37-57. (Ref. 85866)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
