Nothobranchius, PETERS, 1868

SUBGENUS NOTHOBRANCHIUS PETERS, 1868 View in CoL

Synonyms: None.

Type species: Cyprinodon orthonotus Peters, 1844 . By original designation.

Diagnosis: Well-developed lateral flap on proximal region of fourth ceratobranchial [68.0] (vs. flap rudimentary or absent).

Included taxa: The subgenus Nothobranchius includes the following species: N. furzeri Jubb, 1971 , N. kadleci Reichard, 2010 , Nothobranchius krysanovi Shidlovskiy, Watters & Wildekamp, 2010 , Nothobranchius kuhntae Ahl, 1926 , Nothobranchius mayeri Ahl, 1935 , Nothobranchius mkuziensis (Fowler, 1934) , Nothobranchius orthonotus (Peters, 1844) , Nothobranchius pienaari Shidlovskiy, Watters & Wildekamp, 2010 and Nothobranchius rachovii Ahl, 1926 . The poorly known N. mkuziensis is probably a valid species closely related to N. rachovii . Nothobranchius kuhntae has been considered a synonym of N. orthonotus (e.g. Wildekamp, 2004; Vrtilek & Reichard, 2016). The exact type locality of N. kuhntae is unknown, and the present examination of type material of N. orthonotus and N. kuhntae did not provide any morphological evidence that they are different species. However, further investigation involving a detailed morphological analysis is necessary to confirm this synonymy. On the other hand, N. mayeri Ahl, 1935 also considered as a synonym of N. orthonotus (e.g. Wildekamp et al., 1986), probably is a valid species, differing from the latter species by a different dentition, as revealed through examination of type specimens.

Distribution: River basins of central and southern Mozambique, and adjacent areas in Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.