THE NOTHOBRANCHIUS SITE

MRAC B3-028-P-0035, male, 25.8 mm SL; Zambia: Luapula province; middle Luapula drainage; seasonal streams and associated seasonal pools (11°15.85′ S, 29°02.57′ E) in the upper Mansa River system, 20 km east of Mansa town, on the road to Samfya; B. R. Watters, B. J. Cooper, O. Schmidt & W. Bishopp, 23 Mar 2007, [field code: Mansa ZAM 07-8].

MRAC B3-028-P-0028–0034 (7), MRAC B3-028-P-0023–0027 (5)

Nothobranchius cooperi is distinguished from all other species of the genus, with the exception of N. rosenstocki and N. sainthousei, by having broad orange posterior scale margins on the trunk; and anal fin with a uniform orange-red margin. It is distinguished from N. sainthousei by having an anal fin that is uniform orange-red with an irregular to regular, light blue-green zone close to the base (vs orange-brown spots and orange-brown margin) and a wider, more prominent light blue marginal band to the caudal fin; head length 32.5–36.2% SL (vs 25.1–29.3); prepectoral length 32.5–36.2% SL (vs 25.1–29.4); and head width 70–77 in % of its depth (vs 79–86). It is distinguished from N. rosenstocki by having a prepelvic length 48.8–51.9% SL (vs 45.1–49.0); and a head depth 75–77% HL (vs 78–84). Furthermore, the species is characterised by a caudal peduncle length 1.2–1.3 times its depth, compared to 1.4–1.5 times in N. sainthousei; and 1.6 times in N. rosenstocki (after Nagy et al., 2017).

Subgenus: Zononothobranchius

Species group: N. brieni group

​Following its discovery in 1989, this species was informally referred to as N. sp. Mansa. It was then included, by Valdesalici & Wildekamp (2005), in the group of populations regarded as Nothobranchius rosenstocki. Subsequently, detailed morphological and molecular studies showed it to be a species distinct and it was established as a distinct species, Nothobranchius cooperi, by Nagy, Watters & Bellstedt in 2017 (in Nagy et al. 2017).

Zambia: Luapula province; middle Luapula drainage; seasonal streams and associated seasonal pools in the upper Mansa River system, 20 km east of Mansa town, on the road to Samfya (11°15.85′ S, 29°02.57′ E).

This species is endemic to freshwater habitats in northern Zambia. It is known from temporary pools and swamps on the floodplains of the Mansa and Lufimba river systems, northern Zambia.

Bangweulu–Mweru (544)

1188–1229 m

Water parameters at type locality during the course of three visits by Watters and Nagy (Nagy et al., 2017):

Water temperature: 24–26 °C

pH: 6.18–6.35

Total dissolved solids: <10–16 ppm

None

The species has an annual life cycle.

Embryonic development under captive conditions in peat moss is about three to four months at room temperature.

Maximum size reported: 25.8 mm SL (MRAC B3-028-P-0035, holotype, male)

Not known

​The specific name is given in honour of Barry J Cooper, renowned collector and breeder of killifish, for his significant contributions to the field study of Nothobranchius and to the killifish hobby in general. A noun in genitive.

Vulnerable B1ab(iii) (Nagy & Watters, 2019);

Previously recommended as Vulnerable (B1bii) in Nagy et al. (2017).

    Rosenstock, J. 1991. Zambia 1989. Journal of the American Killifish Association, 24 (4–6): 213–220. [collecting as Nothobranchius sp. Mansa]

​    Nagy, B., B. R. Watters, P. D. W. van der Merwe, F. P. D. Cotterill & D. U. Bellstedt. 2017. Nothobranchius cooperi (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes) a new species of annual killifish from the Luapula River drainage, northern Zambia. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 42 (3): 201–218. [taxonomy as Nothobranchius cooperi, distribution, ecology, phylogeny]

    Nagy, B. & B. R. Watters. 2019. Nothobranchius cooperi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T131470589A131470612. [conservation]