Distribution, colour polymorphism and habitat use of the African killifish Nothobranchius furzeri, the vertebrate with the shortest life span
Abstract
Intensive collection in southern Mozambique revealed that Nothobranchius furzeri is a widespread species. During collection in February 2008 (the second part of the rainy season), populations were strongly female-biased and there was a spatial pattern in female bias among metapopulations.
Populations varied in the proportion of male colour morphs. 14 populations were composed exclusively of the red male phenotype, 3 populations of the yellow male phenotype and 12 populations were mixed. Overall, the red phenotype was more common, but there was strong geographical variation in morph proportion, with yellow males more abundant at the periphery and red male dominance in the centre of the range of N. furzeri in the Limpopo basin.
Nothobranchius furzeri was sympatric with N. orthonotus and N. rachovii. Analysis of habitat use of N. furzeri is presented; N. furzeri was associated with pools containing a soft muddy substrate and turbid water.