| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-14; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-15. Diagnosis: This species differs from all other species in the Aphyosemion alpha group through a combination of following features: head with very intense reddish colour, flanks bluish-orange, ventral region orange vs. never same colour pattern (Ref. 119374). It is distinguished from all other species of the subgenus Chromaphyosemion by an alpha-shaped mark on pre- and post-opercular region vs. no alpha-shaped mark, only some red macules (Ref. 119374).
Description: Dorsal fin with 11-14 rays; anal fin with 12-15 rays (Ref. 119374). Lateral line scales 23-27; predorsal scales 11-13; transversal scales 6-8 (Ref. 119374).
Colouration: Colouration of live males: flanks orange and bluish with often visible dark lateral stripes, four lines of red dots from opercle to caudal peduncle; ventral region orange, region between end of the anal fin and caudal peduncle is intense orange; dorsal region brown and bluish, with two rows of paradorsal copper scales from the operculum to caudal peduncle with two lines of carmine red dots; head very intense red, premaxilla reddish, mandible reddish with black lower lips, reddish supraorbital region, reddish infraorbital region with black macule, postorbital region bluish-grey with black macule, orange pre-opercle with two black macules, orange opercle with one black macule; black macules on pre- and pos-opercular regions revealing alpha-shaped mark; dorsal fin orange, blue on posterobasal portion of fin, with rows of carmine red dots between rays, carmine red streaks on ddistal and posterobasal portions of fin, orange acumen on apex; anal fin orange, with blue zone near submarginal band, regular, red submarginal band, blue marginal band and orange acumen, no punctuation; caudal fin blue, orange on upper and lower lobes, with some red dots on median region, very long red streaks on median region and in upper and lower lobes, irregular, red submarginal band, blue marginal band and orange acumens; pelvic fins orange with no punctuation, blue zone near submarginal band, submarginal red band, blue marginal band; pectoral fins with orange reflections (Ref. 119374). Colouration of live females: flanks pale beige, four lines of red dots from opercle to caudal peduncle, two dark lateral stripes, venter pale beige, white on basal portion, two rows of paradorsal brown scales in dorsal region from operculum to caudal peduncle with red dots; premaxilla brown, mandible yellow-orange with black lower lips, with brown supraorbital region, white infraorbital region with black macule, white postorbital region with one black macule, pale blue pre-opercle, orange opercle with two macules; dorsal fin yellow-green, orange on distal portion, with rows of carmine red dots between rays; anal fin translucent, orange zone on distal portion, blue on edge; caudal fin translucent, orange on ventral portion of fin, red dots on dorsal portion of the fin near caudal peduncle; pelvic fins translucent with orange reflection, blue reflection on edges; pectoral fins translucent (Ref. 119374). Colouration of ethanol-preserved males and females: flanks of males grey with four lines of red dots, venter whitish, two rows of paradorsal red scales in grey dorsal region, the operculum to caudal peduncle, with two visible greyish lateral stripes; flanks of females beige with two grey lateral stripes, four lines of red dots from opercle to caudal peduncle, incomplete near the peduncle, venter yellowish, with two grey lateral stripes, two rows of paradorsal red scales in brown dorsal region, from operculum to caudal peduncle; male with whitish mandible with black lower lips, infraorbital region with one red macule, orange pre-opercular region and opercle region, and opercle with two small black macules; head of female with black lower lips, infraorbital region with red macule, orange opercle; dorsal fin of male light orange with red dots and some red streaks on edge, anal fin orange with red submarginal band, caudal fin orange on median portion, with red streaks on upper portion, and red submarginal band; dorsal fin of female whitish, rows of red dots between rays, anal fin whitish, with no red dots, caudal fin whitish, with some red dots on upper portion, red streaks on edge (Ref. 119374). |