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Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-9; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 13-15. Diagnosis: Aphyosemion musafirii is placed within the genus Aphyosemion by the combination of the following characters: preopercular neuromast system with 6 pores, slender body, posterior origin of dorsal fin with less than 10 fin rays, females with a strong reticulation due to dark scale borders, and the extended edges of the caudal fin in males (Ref. 86918). Males of A. musafirii differ from all other representatives of Aphyosemion in the north-eastern Congo basin by the in average broader red margin of the dorsal fin; this red border is narrow, up to 10%, in all other species in this area and is often absent at the distal end of the fin (Ref. 86918). Males of A. musafirii differ from A. castaneum by the absence of a red band in the approximate centre of the anal fin, absence of a red infra-buccal band, absence of red edges around the light ventral zone in the caudal fin, absence of, or only very narrow, yellow margin of pelvic fins and a higher average number of red dots on side, between 51-79 in A. musafirii vs. 13-57 in A. castaneum; these dots are arranged in more or less regular, interrupted rows in A. musafirii, whereas these dots are irregularly distributed in A. castaneum (Ref. 86918). The higher number of red dots on the side also distinguishes males of A. congicum (25-40), A. schoutedeni (17-28) and A. polli (11-49) from A. musafirii; it can also be distinguished by the more or less regular interrupted rows of red dots from A. sp. Cuvette, A. elegans and A. plagitaenium, which have either a pattern of vertical streaks or oblique bars on the side of males; males of A. musafirii differ from A. schoutedeni by the same characters as A. castaneum, with the exception that A. schoutedeni lacks a red band in the anal fin; males of A. musafirii have less spots in the caudal fin than A. christyi, 35-55 vs. more than 70; the background colour of the flanks is blue-green in A. musafirii and purple-blue in A. christyi; in addition to colouration characters, males of A. musafirii can be distinguished from A. christyi by the lower number of dorsal fin rays, 7-9 vs. 10-11 (Ref. 86918).
Description: A medium sized, slightly laterally compressed species; dorsal profile slightly convex, greatest body depth approximately at pelvic fins; ventral profile slightly convex from head to end of anal fin, concave on caudal peduncle (Ref. 86918). Snout slightly rounded, mouth directed upwards, lower jaw longer than upper jaw; dentary bears an outer row of large and inner irregular rows of smaller unicuspid, curved teeth; the premaxilla bears some larger and several smaller unicuspid and curved teeth (Ref. 86918). Frontal or nasal neuromasts in separated grooves, the preopercular canal with six pores (Ref. 86918). Scales cycloid, entirely scaled except ventral surface of head; frontal squamation of G-type; scales on mid-longitudinal series 29-30, with 1-2 scales posterior to the hypural plate; 7 transversal scales, 12 scales around the caudal peduncle (Ref. 86918). Small dorsal fin with 7-9 fin rays, first dorsal fin ray inserts above the 7-10th anal fin ray; anal fin with 13-15 rays; posterior dorsal and anal fin rays slightly elongated in males; caudal fin with 21-24 rays, with extensions on upper and lower fin rays; pectoral fin with 12-14, pelvic fin with 5 rays (Ref. 86918).
Colouration: Live colouration in males: flanks greyish brown with blue-green iridescence; edges of scales on the flanks with dark pigmentation resulting in a reticulated pattern; dorsally the scales have broader pigmented edges than ventrally; flanks with approximately 50 to 120 red spots; these spots are mainly situated at the anterior edge of the scales and are mostly irregularly distributed in lines, usually forming up to five parallel lines; three red streaks on opercle in an approximate 45° angle; infra-buccal band absent or only present at the sides of the jaw; pectoral fin yellow, unspotted or just with some tiny spots in the centre; pelvic fin yellow with several prominent red spots; dorsal and anal fin blue iridescent at the base and yellow distally, provided with red spots; spots more numerous and larger at the base than distally; dorsal fin edged with a broad dark red band, up to 30% of fin length at mid section; anal fin edged with a narrow red band; spots on anal fin rounded to elongated, sometimes missing at the distal part of the fin, leaving a broad yellow subdistal band; caudal fin light blue with yellowish distal edges provided with rounded and/or 35-55 elongated red spots; dorsal and ventral edge of the caudal fin provided with a broad dark red band (Ref. 86918). Live colouration in females: flanks grey with darker reticulation; red streaks on opercle reduced and infra-buccal band absent; all fins transparent; edge of anal fin and distal part of ventral fins light blue; faint spots on anal fin, more prominent spots on base of dorsal and dorsal part of caudal fin (Ref. 86918). Males in preservation: flanks light brown with transition to light ventral side; reticulation, buccal band, and red streaks on opercle as in live specimens; spots on flanks as in live specimens, but smaller and more vague; all fins transparent greyish, provided with spots as in live specimens, but vague and pink (Ref. 86918). Females in preservation: as in live specimens, but spots on anal fin hardly visible (Ref. 86918). |
