apistogramma nijsseni is a species of cichlid fish , endemic to highly restricted local black water habitats in the quebrada carahuayte , a small stream in the ucayali river drainage , southern peru .

the male reaches a maximum length of 8 cm ( 3 in ) , the female remaining somewhat smaller .

apistogramma brooding females assume a bright yellow and black aposematic coloring : in a. nijsseni , unusually , a healthy , unstressed female retains this coloring .

the species is popular aquarium fish amongst dwarf cichlid hobbyists , though it does not often appear in the general pet fish market .

the species is named after the dutch ichthyologist han nijssen

apistogramma nijsseni

apistogramma nijsseni <EOT> robert hole , jr marked " file : apistogramma nijsseni ( m ) . jpg " as trusted on the " apistogramma nijsseni kullander , 1979 " page .

robert hole , jr marked " file : apistogramma nijsseni ( f ) . jpg " as trusted on the " apistogramma nijsseni kullander , 1979 " page .

a male of apistogramma nijsseni , in the aquarium of max galladé , usa . photo by max galladé .

a female of apistogramma nijsseni , in the aquarium of max galladé , usa . photo by max galladé .

apistogramma nijsseni , generalised colour pattern of females in the type series . note large dark blotches , not present in the male . drawing s . o . kullander .

galladé , max . ( march 19 , 2006 ) . " spawning apistogramma nijsseni " . cichlid room companion . retrieved on july 09 , 2018 , from : urltoken

nijsseni , for han nijssen , ichthyologist , curator of fishes in the zoölogisch museum , university of amsterdam .

the top image is not a male a . nijsseni . it is not even a member of the nijsseni - group of apistos . the one in the back of the female image is what males should look like .

apistogramma nijsseni kullander , 1979 . revue suisse zool . 86 , p . 938 , fig . 1 ( perú ( loreto ) , r . ucayali system , jenaro herrera , r . copal , " marigots des tupacs " ) .

apistogramma nijsseni , nrm 18078 , adult male , 32 . 6 mm sl , just collected from the wild near jenaro herrera , c . 15 km on road jenaro herrera - colonia angamos . 1 september 1981 ( sok 043 ) . photo © s . o . kullander .

kullander , s . o . 1979 . description of a new species of apistogramma from peru . revue suisse de zoologie , 86 : 937 - 945 . kullander , s . o . 1986 . cichlid fishes of the amazon river drainage of peru . swedish museum of natural history , stockholm , 431pp . de rham , p . & s . o . kullander . 1983 . apistogramma nijsseni kullander un nouveau cichlidé nain pour l ' aquarium . revue française d ' aquariologie , 9 : 97 - 104 .

i waited til the end of the quarantine and took a trio of apistogramma norberti , the a . nijsseni male , and a a . cacatuoides male home . i scattered the fish throughout our tanks . the a . nijsseni male went into our ~ 280 lt ( 75 g ) that already housed two pairs of apistos . note : this tank was specifically set up for apistos only . densely planted with hiding places , driftwood , clay saucers throughout the tank , a few dither fish like nannobryconun ifasciatus , corydoras pigmaeus / hasborus , some common tetras and your necessary algae eating crew .

one morning , to our surprise , the second female was guarding tiny little fry around her corner of the tank as well , which was completely unexpected . our male didn ' t help her at all with rearing her babys , and she was completely alone guarding her young ones . we really fell in love with our apistogramma nijsseni trio and this species will always be kept in one of our tanks .

captive - raised fish are the recommended choice for the community aquarium . wild examples are best maintained alone or with small ‘dither’ fishes such as nannostomus spp . , and ideally should not be mixed with other apistogramma .

did we mention that our male lost his aggressive behavior almost completely towards other apistogramma in the tank since the introduction of the females ? except for when they get too close to his kids ; watch out he packs quite a punch .

acarichthyini – acarichthys and guianacara . crenicaratini – biotoecus , crenicara , dicrossus and mazarunia . geophagini – geophagus , mikrogeophagus , ‘ geophagus ‘ brasiliensis group , ‘ geophagus ‘ steindachneri group , gymnogeophagus , satanoperca , biotodoma , apistogramma , apistogrammoides and taeniacara .

only once in a while , the male left the female and her fry and scooted over to the other female which took up quarters in the left corner of the tank . those visits only lasted a few seconds . this was new male apisto behavior to us . all the other apistogramma species that we bred went by the same routine of males guarding outer perimeters of the spawning area , and the females guarding their fry . the a . nijsseni pair even teamed up on intruders . we used to keep a trio of larger cory cats in that tank but the cory ' s quickly found out that most baby brine shrimp was fed in the nijsseni ' s breeding territory . we saw mom and pop many times attacking the cory cats side by side when they got to close to the young ones .

my wife and i were looking for a pair of a . nijsseni for a long time and couldn ' t find them anywhere . we once kept a very small female , but she didn ' t last long , and we were unable to find a mate for her . 2001 fish odyssey usually quarantines new arrivals for at least a week before selling them . that gave me enough time to go back and check the fish out after they had settled in for a while , and to get my first pick . unfortunately , only a lonely adult male a . nijsseni survived the trip , but he looked very healthy . the a . norberti looked pretty good , too . the a . cacatuoides turned out to be males only .

the panda dwarf cichlid is a small colorful fish with a bit thicker and bulkier body than other members of the apistogramma genus . the males are the larger sex , growing to 3 " ( 7 . 5 cm ) in length , while females only reach about 1 . 75 " ( 4 . 5 cm ) . they can live about 2 - 5 years .

– a weakly - supported sister group relationship between acarichthys and guianacara . – a well - supported “ satanoperca clade ” comprising satanoperca , apistogramma , apistogrammoides and taeniacara . – a “big clade ” with geophagus , mikrogeophagus , ‘ geophagus ‘ brasiliensis group , ‘ geophagus ‘ steindachneri group , gymnogeophagus , biotodoma , crenicara and dicrossus . – a “crenicarine clade ” with biotoecus and crenicichla .

the genus apistogramma is among the most speciose of south american cichlid genera with around 70 species valid at present but many more awaiting description . in addition many species exist in two or more geographical colour forms which may or may not turn out to be distinct in the future . hobbyists tend to label these with collection data if available in order to avoid mixing them and the potential of hybridisation .

member species have also been organised into a series of species lineages , complexes and groups by authors in order to better separate them . such lists have been augmented by fish that have appeared in the aquarium trade and are in a state of near - constant flux . for example the a . nijsseni group is contained within the a . trifasciata sublineage of the larger a . trifasciata lineage alongside a . arua plus the a . brevis , a . cacatuoides , a . atahualpa and a . trifasciata groups .

the a . nijsseni was quite aggressive towards everything that moved and took over the whole tank real fast . we thought it would be easy to find some females for him . boy , were we wrong . we couldn ' t find any females locally or per mail - order for weeks . we were ready to give up on him and move him to one of our lonely heart ' s club tanks ( most of our single specimens go into those tanks until we find a partner or new home for them . )

it all began a few months ago ( 2000 ) with one of my weekly lunch break trips to our local fish store : " 2001 , a fish odyssey " in timonium , md . mike and the owner kurt had just started unpacking a shipment of new arrivals when i got there . mike told me he had ordered some mixed apistos for the store ( ah , for himself and me ) and they were all in that shipment . mixed apistos in this case means you never know what you are going to get , and they are all wild caught . this time , it looked like we got lucky . after peeking in some of the bags i managed to identify some apistogramma norbertis , a . cacatuoides ( note : i thought at first that these were a . cacatuoides , but i found out much later that they were in fact a . juruensis ) and two pairs of a . nijsseni . these fish were caught in sidestreams of the lower rio ucajali , peru ( see linke & staeck ' s book south american cichlids 1 - dwarf cichlids for more info on the localities . )

he started to be a real nuisance for all our other apistos , that lived happily together before he arrived . then in august of last year , julio melgar announced on his website that he collected a . nijsseni on his annual trip to peru . we just had to wait to the end of his quarantine period before we could order some of them . he was kind enough to sell us two females instead of a pair . we hated to do that to him , but we were in need of females and we didn ' t need another trouble maker in our large tank .

the panda dwarf cichlid tends to be a bit thicker and bulkier in the body than most other dwarf , or apistogramma , cichlids . still they are very small cichlids , with the males reaching less than 3 ' ( 7 . 5 cm ) in length and the females only about 1 . 75 " ( 4 . 5 cm ) . with a pair of these attractive cichlids you also get that cool cichlid personality , only in a small package . watching them share the raising of their fry is quite a sight and their small size makes them more manageable than many of the other cichlid species .

the panda dwarf cichlid is a community fish that can be kept with non - cichlids . fish that are not large and aggressive and swim primarily close to the surface will make the best tank mates . they can also be kept with other apistogramma dwarf cichlids and will be peaceful if the male has females to tend to , though solitary males have a tendency to become aggressive . they are best kept in harem situations with one male leading a pack of 3 or 4 females . more than one male may be kept in a single aquarium as long as the aquarium is large and the males are each apportioned their own group of females .

apistogramma nijsseni is a moderately deep - bodied species with pronounced sexual dichromatism . males reach 39 . 2 mm , and females 30 . 7 mm sl in the wild . males may reach 52 mm sl in aquaria , however . both sexes have short dorsal - fin lappets and clearly rounded caudal fin . there is no evidence of a lateral band at any size , but roundish lateral and caudal spots are well evident . in females the suborbital stripe , lateral spot , and caudal spot are greatly expanded ; the suborbital stripe may cover all of the cheek and gill - cover . living males are blue on the sides . lateral and caudal spots show only faintly . dorsal and caudal fins have bright red margins . living females are yellowish with deep black suborbital stripe , lateral spot and caudal spot . cephalic lateralis pores as in a . cacatuoides , with 3 infraorbital and 5 dentary pores . anteroventral half of cheek naked . simple ( anteriorly ) and bicuspid ( posteriorly ) lower pharyngeal teeth . counts : d . xv . 7 - 8 , xvi . 6 - 7 , xvii . 6 , usually xvi . 7 ; a . iii . 6 - 7 , usually iii . 7 ; e1 row scales 22 ( rarely 23 ) ; cheek scale series 2 - 4 ; gill - rakers 1 - 2 ( de rham & kullander , 1983 ; kullander , 1986 ) .

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the original description ( kullander , 1979 ) was based on females only , showing characteristic black blotches on the sides of the head , midbody and caudal fin base . males were first reported by de rham & kullander ( 1983 ) .

mhng 1595 . 82 . adult female , 30 . 7 mm sl . perú ( loreto ) , r . ucayali system , jenaro herrera , r . copal , " marigots des tupacs " . 18 october 1977 . p . de rham .

restricted to the quebrada carahuayte , a left bank tributary of the ucayali river in peru . it is known only from small streams ( quebraditas ) along the road from jenaro herrera towards colonia angamos , starting at the km 13 mark and extending to the quebrada carahuayte . lifemapper map

the natural habitats were described and discussed at length by de rham & kullander ( 1983 ) . the species occurs in small , shaded streams with clear , tea - brown water . recorded water data are : ph 5 . 0 - 5 . 6 , hardness less than 1 °dgh , temperatures 24 . 5 - 27 . 5 °c , conductivity 3 - 14 μs . oxygen readings gave 0 2 saturation 39 % ( after rain ) in one site , 79 . 5 % in another site . associated species occasionally included the congeneric species a . agassizii or a . eunotus

known only from tributaries of the río ucayali in loreto region , northern peru including the río carahuayte and río yavarí .

inhabits slow - moving blackwater streams , creeks and tributaries , as well as smaller rivers . the water these contain is typically stained dark brown with humic acids and other chemicals released by decaying organic material . this results in a negligible dissolved mineral content , and the ph can drop as low as 4 . 0 or 5 . 0 . the dense rainforest canopy above means that very little light penetrates the water surface , and the substrate is normally littered with fallen tree branches and a deep layer of rotting leaves .

provided adequate cover and structure is available this species is unfussy with regards to décor with ceramic flowerpots , lengths of plastic piping and other artificial materials all useful additions . a more natural - looking arrangement might consist of a soft , sandy substrate with wood roots and branches placed such a way that plenty of shady spots and caves are formed .

the addition of dried leaf litter ( beech , oak or ketapang almond leaves are all suitable ) would further emphasise the natural feel and with it bring the growth of beneficial microbe colonies as decomposition occurs . these can provide a valuable secondary food source for fry , whilst most populations will appreciate the tannins and other chemicals released by the decaying leaves . leaves can be left in the tank to break down fully or removed and replaced every few weeks . if maintaining a blackwater population a net bag filled with aquarium - safe peat can also be added to the filter or suspended over the edge of the tank .

fairly dim lighting is recommended and plant species from genera such as microsorum , taxiphyllum , cryptocoryne and anubias are best since they will grow under such conditions . a few patches of floating vegetation to diffuse the light even further may also prove effective . filtration , or at least water flow , should not be very strong and very large water changes are best avoided with 10 - 15 % weekly adequate provided the tank is lightly - stocked .

primarily carnivorous and apparently feeds mostly on benthic invertebrates in nature . in the aquarium live and frozen foods such as artemia , daphnia and chironomid larvae ( bloodworm ) should be offered regularly although most specimens will also learn to accept dried alternatives with pelleted products generally preferred to flake .

substrate spawner which normally lays its eggs in crevices or cavities among the décor . the female is responsible for post - spawning care of eggs and fry and in smaller aquaria the male may need to be removed as she may become hyper - aggressive .

this species is assigned the code a180 under the datz system and has been available under a handful of trade names including ‘panda dwarf cichlid’ and ‘nijssen’s dwarf cichlid’ .

later molecular studies by farias et al . ( 1999 , 2000 , 2001 ) resulted in the additions of crenicichla and teleocichla to the geophaginae , a result supported by lópez - fernández et al . ( 2005 ) who conducted the most detailed molecular analysis of the grouping to date including 16 of the 18 genera and 30 species . however their conclusions regarding interrelationships between genera did vary somewhat from previous hypotheses and can be summarised by the following loosely - defined groups :

no representatives of teleocichla or mazarunia were included in the study but the former is well - established as sister to crenicichla while the latter has grouped closely with dicrossus and crenicara in earlier works . the other main conclusions of the paper are confirmation that geophaginae is a monophyletic group exhibiting strong signs of having undergone rapid adaptive radiation ( diversification of a species or single ancestral type into several forms that are each adaptively specialised to a specific environmental niche ) .

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( named after the female ' s presentation of black blotches ) is one of the newer arrivals to the fish keeping hobby and as a scientifically recognized species . also known as nijssen ' s dwarf cichlid , these fish were only described as recently as 1979 by kullander and have quickly become a welcome and popular addition to many community tanks !

one notable feature of this fish is how differently colored and patterned the males are compared to the females . this is notable mostly because it is only the females of this species who sport the eponymous ' panda bear ' patterning , while the males display a broad array of colors . in addition , these cichlids are known for being excellent parents and one of the easier species of cichlids to breed . these interesting features coupled with their small size and peaceful nature make them a great choice for an advanced aquarist looking to keep a smaller community tank .

these fish can be kept in a community tank with non - cichlids and even with smaller fish . the best tankmates for the panda dwarf will be peaceful fish around the same size , or slightly smaller , who tend to stick to swimming towards the top of the tank . this will include many types of hatchetfish , neon tetras , zebra danios , and many others . provide a substrate of small dark gravel along with rocks and pots to create plenty of caves , one for each female ' s territory . they do enjoy densely planted aquariums and floating plants will help to diffuse the lighting . make areas for them to " defend " by having natural divisions in the aquascaping .

this colorful dwarf is moderate to difficult to care for since water changes must be performed frequently . it does well in acidic water , needs the nitrate levels low , and the ph level must be kept within the correct parameters . a wild panda dwarf cichlid is more sensitive than a tank bred specimen and breeding wild caught specimens with captive bred helps to keep the lines healthier and the fish more hardy . if water quality is ignored , as with all cichlids , disease and death can occur . just a little dedication will reap pleasurable results from this little fish .

nice short video showcasing a large group of both male and female panda dwarfs . they seem to be eating something on the bottom of the tank and are grouped up , giving the viewer many opportunities to compare the two sexes and see many up close views of both .

was described by kullander in 1979 . they are found in the amazon river basin in south america . they are only known from northern peru in the carahuayte and yavarí river drainage areas that are tributaries to the ucayali river . this species is not listed on the iucn red list . other common names they are known by are nijssen ' s dwarf cichlid and dwarf panda cichlid .

they live among vegetation in creeks , tributaries , backwaters and smaller rivers where they apparently feed mostly on benthic invertebrates . these black - water habitats are created by fallen tree branches and leaf litter under a forest canopy that allows little direct sunlight . these cichlids are polygamous and form harems of a dominant male and multiple females .

the male sports an array of colors . the basic coloration is a blue through the center area and near the dorsal fin . along the back are several black " background " blotches that extend from the head to the tail fin , with one dot right in the middle of the caudal area . they have a silvery blue sheen in between the blotches that extends down below the midline of the body in some areas . the belly is yellow as is the anal fin and most of the tail fin . the tail fin presents a progression of colors beginning with yellow , turning to a blue , then black , and ending with a red edging of the fin .

the females are mostly yellow with several black blotches on the body that give them the " panda " name . one black blotch is under her eye and extends to the lower end of the gill covering . another is in the middle front and a third at the caudal fin area in the middle , but leeching into the tail fin . the dorsal fin has a black blotch on the first several rays and the pelvic fin has black as well . her tail fin is a drab yellow / gray color with the edge trimmed in an orange / yellow color .

all cichlids , along with some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish , share a common trait of a a well - developed pharyngeal set of teeth located in the throat , along with their regular teeth . cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal , dorsal , pectoral , and pelvic fins to help discourage predators . the front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming .

cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets . to sense " smells " in the water , they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being " sampled " for a short or longer time , depending on how much the cichlid needs to " smell " the water . this feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related .

the panda dwarf cichlid is not a beginner fish and should should only be kept by experienced aquarists who are well versed in the issues of water chemistry . these fish are very susceptible to sudden changes as well as improper levels in the ph , hardness , and temperature of the water , they are frequent victims to disease and death brought on by changes in these water parameters . thus , it is best for their keeper be experienced in maintaining stability when performing water changes and in understanding how different aspects of the water chemistry will interact with each other . also , panda dwarf cichlids tend to be picky and uncompromising eaters . they may require spending substantial amounts of time and money simply figuring out how and when to feed them .

the panda dwarf cichlid is a carnivore that can be fed newly hatched baby brine , frozen brine shrimp , crustaceans , insects , insect larvae , and some may eat flakes and pelleted foods . feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts rather than a large quantity once a day . this will keep the water quality higher over a longer time . all fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods .

the panda dwarf cichlid needs a strict maintenance schedule to ensure survival and optimum health . water changes should be performed once a week and should only replace about 10 - 15 % of the water as large water changes are not good for this fish . before changing the water make sure to clear all viewing panes of algae and the substrate thoroughly once the algae has settled upon it . be sure to remove as much of the old organic and decomposing matter from the substrate as you can during this process .

the panda dwarf cichlid needs to be housed in at least a 20 gallon tank . they will only feel safe when provided with plenty of hiding places and areas where they are not visible to tank observers . this can be acheived in a number of ways , including forming caves out of rock , flowerpots , plastic tubing , and sunken driftwood , as well as keeping some floating plants for them to swim among . the substrate should be made up of a soft sand / gravel mix with hand fulls of dried leaves to give a natural feel . the leaves will help provide a comforting " black - water " feel to the tank by releasing a tea - stained coloration and will also help provide a breeding ground for beneficial microbiobial colonies . be sure to remove and replace these leaves every few days . alternatively , you can add a bag of aquarium safe peat to the filter to help simulate the " black - water " environment without the mess of the leaves , but also without the benefit of the microbes . this peat should be removed and replace about once a week .

the filtration should be efficient but not powerful enough to create more than a moderate amount of water movement . the panda prefers moderate lighting preferably diffused by floating plants . plants like taxiphyllum , anubias and microsorum will grow best in that environment . patches of plants make for great areas of shade and hiding places for this little cichlid .

south american cichlids tend to be less aggressive than their african cousins , but it is recommended to only keep them with other fish in a large aquarium . some acceptable tank mates are ; characin species like the cardinal tetras and the three - line pencilfish , otocinclus catfish and corydoras like the julii cory , glowlight rasbora ( hengel ' s ) , dwarf gourami , kuhli loach , and dwarf ( neon ) rainbowfish . do not keep coryadoras catfish with breeding pairs , since they will eat the fry .

males are larger and have more of a blue sheen to their body , with some reds and a yellow belly . the smaller females are yellow with black blotches .

the panda dwarf cichlids are cave spawners . they appreciate upturned flowerpots , fake " coconut caves , " bogwood , and broad leafed plants for cover and as spawning sites . they require breeding conditions of a ph of 6 . 0 to 6 . 5 , a water hardness of 5 - 8 dh , and a temperature of 79° to 84° f ( 26° - 29° c ) with frequent water changes .

they should be kept in a harem of one male to at least 3 females . the female will approach the male , curve her body , and display to catch his attention . when he sees her , he will then " dance " by flashing his fins . the female will lay oval eggs on the roof surface of her cave . the male will fertilize them and then promptly leave the cave to patrol on the outside .

the female and male will care for the eggs which will hatch in for 3 to 4 days , depending on water temperature . the fry are free swimming a few days after hatching . both parents will guard the fry together and watch over them carefully . after a month the female will chase them out of her territory . the male will continue to watch them for one more week and then they are on their own . if there are several females , the male may fertilize another female ' s eggs and let her care for them on her own . this depends also on the males personality , as to which batch of fry he will tend to . note : do not keep the fry in the same aquarium with corydoras as they tend to eat live fry during the night .

the fry can be fed liquid foods and rotifers once they are free swimming and then fed artemia anuplii or live freshly hatched baby brine shrimp after about a week or two . the fry should be fed around 3 times a day . sexing the fry is pretty easy since males have the red in their tail fin and the females are yellow .

if you are interested in obtaining more of one sex than the other , a system that works for the cockatoo cichlid may work for the panda dwarf cichlid as well . it has been stated that for the cockatoo cichlid if the water temperature is low ( 68° f or 20° c ) most of the fry will be females , while with higher temperatures ( 86° f or 30° c ) the fry will mostly be male . ph also plays a role in the sex of the fry , but to a much lesser extent . these conditions must also be kept constant for the first 3 weeks to be effective . see more about cichlid breeding in : breeding freshwater fish : cichlids .

the panda dwarf cichlids are susceptible to typical fish ailments , especially if water is stale and of poor quality and oxygenation . be aware of the following diseases that are found in the amazon ( per fishbase . org ) : parasitic infestations ( protozoa , worms , etc . ) including white spot disease known as ich ( ichthyobodo infection ) , costia disease , flatworms ( metacercaria infection ) , cestoda infestation ( tapeworms ) , metacercaria infection ( flatworms ) , bacterial infections ( general ) , bacterial diseases , and turbidity of the skin ( freshwater fish ) . one common problem is ich . it can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° f ( 30° c ) for 3 days .

as with most fish the nijssen ' s dwarf cichlids are prone to skin flukes and other parasitic infestations ( protozoa , worms , etc . ) , fungal infections , and bacterial infections . it is recommended to read up on the common tank diseases . knowing the signs and catching and treating them early makes a huge difference . for information about freshwater fish diseases and illnesses , see aquarium fish diseases and treatments .

anything that is added to the tank can introduce harmful bacteria or chemicals to the system . thus , it is recommended that whenever you add anything to the tank , you should take steps to first either quarantine or clean the new addition .

the panda dwarf cichlid is often available online and is moderately expensive , with a pair being more . they are a rare find in fish stores , but can usually be special ordered if you are willing to wait .

dr . rüdiger riehl and hans a . baensch , aquarium atlas vol . 2 , publisher hans a . baensch , 1993

jorg vierke , dwarf cichlids , t . f . h publications , inc . , 1979

glen s . axelrod , brian m . scott , neal pronek , encyclopedia of exotic tropical fishes for freshwater aquariums , tfh publications , 2005

richard f . stratton , the guide to owning cichlids , t . f . h . publications , inc . , 2002

copyright © [ animal - world ] 1998 - 2015 . all rights reserved .

the males are larger and have greyish blue coloured body with red edged tail . the females are smaller with yellow body with black spots and red edged tail .

panda dwarf cichlids are cave breeders that are best bred in a ph of 5 . 5 , at higher ph ' s eggs are unlikely to hatch and there will be a low survival rate . it is said that warmer temperatures over 26°c ( 78 . 8°f ) will give more males than females . they make excellent parents towards their eggs and fry .

these dwarf cichlids are best kept in either a male / female pair or one male with several females . more than one male may fight over territory . they are generally peaceful towards other tank mates , although very small fish and other species fry are likely to be eaten . do not keep with very boisterous fish nor with fin - nippers .

and / or rocks with many hiding places . dark sand or gravel could be used as substrate . leaf litter is advisable . dim lighting and / or floating plants (

this page was last edited on 13 december 2017 , at 03 : 01 .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

justification : this species is listed as data deficient because it is known only from the type locality and there are no data on population size and trends .

this species is endemic to peru , where its type locality is the copal river , in jenaro herrera , ucayali river system , loreto ( kullander 1979 ) . the elevation is 130 m .

there are no conservation measures in place for this species . it is not present in protected areas . research is needed to better determine its distribution and population size and trends and the threats that may be affecting it .

to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .

this page will give a completely detailed profile of the selected fish , from a to z . the profiled fish will be chosen randomly by badman , and will come from the complete genre of tropical fish . new profiles are added on a regular basis . if you would like to submit a profile for the site please contact me . don ' t forget to let us know you experiences with this fish by filling out the

comment form . this profile was written by rookiefishkeepers active contributors to the site .

a peaceful dwarf cichlid that prefers planted tanks with some driftwood . water quality is paramount as this species requires very good filtration and quality environment . not an " easy " fish to keep .

south america : amazon river basin , in the carahuayte river drainage , a tributary to the ucayali river .

males are larger with blue coloration on their flanks and a red - tipped caudal fin . females have a more panda - like color scheme , showing yellow as the base color with large blotches of black in a ' camouflage ' style pattern . females have a lighter red - tipped caudal .

this is one of the more difficult to keep of the apistos . they have very demanding water qualities that must be met , otherwise the fish will not fair well . prefers a tank with lots of plants and bogwood . rock formations will provide extra cover and may serve as a spawning site for mature fish . this species does not fare well in dirty water , so frequent water changes and good filtration are necessary for survival ! more peaceful than the larger components of their cichlidae family , but may exhibit cichlid - like aggression when breeding .

omnivorous . will likely take dry foods , in which case a good quality cichlid pellet should be fed as staple . feed live or frozen foods regularly , too . variety is vital , as is dietary balance - vegetable foods should be fed occasionally too ( vegetable or spirulina flakes , or small pieces of cucumber ) .

cave spawner , soft , acidic water is vital for breeding the panda dwarf cichlid . keep one male with a harem of females ( a trio is ideal in smaller tanks ) . females will hold their own small territories , whilst male ' s territory is the entire tank ( or at least 24 " if more than one male is kept in a larger tank ) . female will guard fry whilst male defends his larger territory .

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disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .

in black - water creeks among vegetation ( ref . 42573 ) . female guards eggs in nest ; male and female guard larvae ( ref . 42573 ) .

eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .

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pam chin has been replying to cichlid questions for over twenty years . highly respected and experienced aquarist , pam has visited cichlid habitats around the world , and bred in her ' s and her husband gary fish house hundreds of cichlid species . besides her job , she still devotes time to help any person with a cichlid question !

articles for sale beautifully formatted and wonderfully illustrated pdf articles about all matters relative to cichlids .

books for sale cichlid books and dvds for sale at the cichlid room companion .

e - books for sale pdf copies of popular cichlid books offered for sale at the best price .

trade section the master list of cichlid offers ordered by area and species name .

julio sent us two beautiful juvenile females in september . they were added to the tank and we were anxious to see how our male would react . we hoped that the presence of females would help calm his aggression towards the other fish .

the females settled in nicely and eagerly ate the offerings of live baby brine shrimp and various frozen foods . the male didn ' t even noticed them at first and went strictly about his business of harassing everybody .

then , one morning we noticed that our male changed his body color from a muddy brown tone to a light brown bluish with a bronze belly . the bigger of the two females also showed signs of breeding coloration : a bright yellow body color with intense dark black markings . she was swimming around the male , bit him once or twice in the flank , bending her body in a u - shape and turned her belly towards him . this behavior didn ' t last very long til both disappeared in the thick plant cover in the middle of the tank .

the pair totally disappeared for days , which the other inhabitants didn ' t mind at all . the only sightings of them was during feedings . they darted out of the plants for a quick bite , and went straight back . we knew something was going on , but we didn ' t expect too much from this since it would have been the females first spawn .

then , one sunday morning i heard my wife yell " i see babies , come look . " i ran downstairs to the tank and she pointed to a little peephole in the plants . yeeha , there were at least twenty fry swimming around the male and female . our first successful spawn of a . nijssenni .

we quickly squirted some live baby brine shrimp into the area and watched the fry bellies become bright orange , while mom and pop kept a watchful eye on them . the amazing thing , was that the male stayed with the female and her fry the whole time and she didn ' t made any attempts of chasing him away .

unfortunately , those cats liked to munch on the fry too , and were traded in for pencil fish . we learned that lesson the hard way . a month later another amazing thing happened , the female chased all the fry out of her territory and the male ( ! ) started to take care of the fry . he kept them together in the front of the tank and would not let anybody near them . any fry that swam back to the female was chased away by her . the males guarding behavior lasted only for a week , and then the juveniles were on their own . we were finally able to count our juveniles , there were 9 - males and 4 females that had survived the cory attacks . the male went back into the plants with the female , and it only took another week until we saw a new batch of fry being guarded by mom and pop again .

: aquaclear 500 with sponge and peat filled filter bag . note : i no longer use chemical filtration in any of my tanks . water changes do the trick for me : 25 % biweekly for my community tank . 50 % biweekly for my breeding and growout tanks . i use aged and peat filtered md tapwater . emperor 400 w . 0 . 5l siporax , sponge and two bio wheels .

co2 injection : 10 lbs co2 bottle with dupla regulator , needle valve , timer , controlled solenoid valve . monster marine atomizer j 30 ( the highest quality we ' ve seen in co2 diffusers )


dichomeris enoptrias is a moth in the gelechiidae family .

it was described by meyrick in 1911 .

it is found in india ( assam ) .

the wingspan is 14 – 16 mm .

the forewings are bronzy-fuscous with a very broad leaden-metallic streak along the costa from the base to one-third , and one less broad along the dorsum from the base to near the middle , confluent at the base , and with their posterior extremities connected by an angulated bar .

there is also a broad slightly curved leaden-metallic fascia from the middle of costa to two-thirds of the dorsum , as well as an oblique white strigula on the costa at two-thirds .

a broad leaden-metallic terminal fascia is narrowed to the tornus , marked with a whitish-ochreous dash from the apex .

the hindwings are dark fuscous , more blackish-fuscous posteriorly .

dichomeris enoptrias

dichomeris enoptrias <EOT> this is the place for enoptrias definition . you find here enoptrias meaning , synonyms of enoptrias and images for enoptrias copyright 2017 © urltoken

how can i put and write and define dichomeris enoptrias in a sentence and how is the word dichomeris enoptrias used in a sentence and examples ? 用dichomeris enoptrias造句 , 用dichomeris enoptrias造句 , 用dichomeris enoptrias造句 , dichomeris enoptrias meaning , definition , pronunciation , synonyms and example sentences are provided by ichacha . net .

here you will find one or more explanations in english for the word enoptrias . also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word enoptrias and , of course , enoptrias synonyms and on the right images related to the word enoptrias .

how can i put and write and define dichomeris derasella in a sentence and how is the word dichomeris derasella used in a sentence and examples ? 用dichomeris derasella造句 , 用dichomeris derasella造句 , 用dichomeris derasella造句 , dichomeris derasella meaning , definition , pronunciation , synonyms and example sentences are provided by ichacha . net .

adults are similar to " dichomeris enoptrias " , but the forewings are shining metallic leaden - blue with well - developed broad longitudinal streaks running obliquely from the anterior margin at one - third to the tornus .

adults are similar to " dichomeris derasella " , but the forewings are broader and slightly dilated distally , there is also a dark brown fascia along the termen and the discal stigmata is more distinct , often irregularly suffused with dark brown scales .

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the riverine rabbit ( bunolagus monticularis ) , also known as the bushman rabbit or bushman hare , is one of the most endangered mammals in the world , with only around 250 living adults .

this rabbit has an extremely limited distribution area , found only in the central and southern regions of the karoo desert of south africa 's northern cape province .

it is the only member of the genus bunolagus .

riverine rabbit

riverine rabbit <EOT> pictures : riverine rabbit # 1 ( 21 kb jpeg ) and riverine rabbit # 2 ( 24 kb jpeg ) ( riverine rabbit cons . proj . ) ; riverine rabbit # 3 ( 19 kb jpeg ) ; riverine rabbit # 4 ( 37 kb ) ( spec . cons . found . )

conservation the endangered wildlife trust has established a riverine rabbit programme to manage and coordinate the riverine rabbit conservation project , to maintain close relations with landowners and conservation authorities and to ensure the survival of the riverine rabbit and its habitat .

* * * the riverine rabbit is one of the world ' s rarest mammals .

the riverine rabbit ( bunolagus monticularis ) is the 13th most endangered mammal . . .

they captured a young riverine rabbit – proof it is successfully reproducing in this area . after taking genetic samples , the rabbit was released .

the fragmentation and degradation of the riverine rabbit ' s habitat due to agricultural development . ( b147 )

a newborn riverine rabbit is altricial . it is reared in a fur - and grass - lined burrow .

the riverine rabbit is classified as critically endangered ( cr ) on the iucn red list 2004 ( 1 ) .

in some parts of the world , declining rabbit populations have strained natural food chains . the european rabbit (

authenticated ( 11 / 06 / 07 ) by dr vicky ahlmann , riverine rabbit working group , endangered wildlife trust . urltoken

a riverine rabbit awareness programme has been instituted among the farmers of the central karoo . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

the riverine rabbit weighs 1 . 4 - 1 . 9 kg ( 3 . 1 - 4 . 2 lb ) .

mammalmap added text to " the riverine rabbit according to mammalmap " on " bunolagus monticularis ( thomas , 1903 ) " .

the riverine rabbit produces two types of droppings . at night , when the rabbit is active , hard pellets are deposited . during the day , droppings are soft and are reingested by the rabbit . in this way the riverine rabbit obtains vitamin b , produced by bacteria in its hind gut , and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are recycled . ( collins 2001 )

" pondhaas " , during the 1940s the curator of the kaffrarian museum offered a pound for each riverine rabbit brought to him .

in terms of cranial morphology , the riverine rabbit resembles the lepus capensis - cape hare . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

the riverine rabbit is one of the species that live in the cape floristic region biodiversity hotspot ( cons . intl . ) .

most people won’t have an easy time trying to identify one type of rabbit from the other however the riverine rabbit is easily recognizable by the long brown stripes in its facial fur that run from its mouth right round to the back of its ears . among the features that define the riverine rabbit include big flexible ears and large lumpy hind feet , the fur of the riverine rabbit is mostly light brown with the exception of the belly and neck which is usually a creamy colored fur . the female riverine rabbit is the bigger of the species , weighing at around 1 . 8kg typically and most riverine rabbits are approximately 340 – 470mm long .

the riverine rabbit acts as an indicator species for these river zones as its extinction in many areas of its former natural distribution range indicates the degradation , fragmentation and loss of riverine vegetation . it is also a karoo flagship species and all efforts to conserve the riverine rabbit will be beneficial to other plants and animals in this ecoregion .

“with only around 400 individuals left in the wild , the riverine rabbit qualifies as one of the rarest mammals in southern africa . ”

a cape provincial nature conservation ordinance protects the riverine rabbit by banning either its hunting or capture . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

* * * the riverine rabbit has an unusually low ( for rabbits ) breeding rate of only 1 - 2 young / year .

the riverine rabbit is nocturnal , feeding at night and resting during the day in forms , which it scrapes out under a bush .

in addition to the volcano rabbit of mexico , pygmy rabbits are the only north american rabbit that dig their own burrows .

has a limited ecosystem role . the riverine vegetation it feeds on is known to bind soil and regenerates as the rabbit feeds on it . this means that the riverine rabbit ' s feeding habbits indirectly prevents the soil from being washed away in floods ( duthie , 1987 ) .

the recent discovery of the riverine rabbit in the sanbona wildlife reserve and vaalkloof private nature reserve are positive signs for the survival of this species .

the riverine rabbit creates a subterranean shelter for its offspring ; it is the only species of the african rabbits to do so . ( b147 )

* * * a riverine rabbit awareness program among the farmers of the central karoo has been instituted . since the rabbit is found only on privately owned farms , its survival depends on the willingness of landowners to adopt farming methods to reduce over - grazing and other harmful practices in the sensitive riverine habitat . some karoo farmers have declared their farms natural heritage sites to protect the riverine habitat and rabbit . ( collins 2001 , yeld 1999 )

embed this arkive thumbnail link ( " portlet " ) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href = " urltoken " title = " arkive species - riverine rabbit ( bunolagus monticularis ) " > < img src = " urltoken " alt = " arkive species - riverine rabbit ( bunolagus monticularis ) " title = " arkive species - riverine rabbit ( bunolagus monticularis ) " border = " 0 " / > < / a >

endemic to south africa , the riverine rabbit is found in the semi - arid central , upper , ceres , and klein karoo regions ( 2 ) .

the riverine rabbit is predated upon by the african wild cat ( felis libyca , felis - ( genus ) ) . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

this rabbit requires dense riverine vegetation and soft , deep alluvial soils stable enough for it to construct stable breeding burrows . ( n32 . 8 . w1 )

the riverine rabbit has a well - defined parietal bone ; this is one feature which distinguishes it from pronolagus , as the latter does not . ( b147 )

the riverine rabbit is predominantly a browser , eating flowers and leaves from shrubs . grasses are included in the diet when these are available in the wet season .

the most serious threat to the survival of the riverine rabbit is the fragmentation and loss of its unique habitat type . the destruction and modification of the karoo’s unique riverine habitats due to overgrazing and other agricultural practices has had a significant impact on the rabbit’s population over the past century . fertile riverine soil is preferred for cultivation . upwards of 65 % of the original riparian vegetation has been lost due to cultivation .

" the endangered wildlife trust ' s riverine rabbit project is forging ahead with exciting rabbit research , " says christy bragg , the manager of the conservation programme . " we are using mobile camera traps to detect and count these rare critters . "

as the riverine rabbits depend on burrows for protection from predators the soil of their habitat has to be perfect and that is why the riverine rabbits are limited to the central and and southern border of the karoo desert . the foliage that is found in these areas of the karoo desert is excellent for the riverine rabbit’s needs but is subject to seasonal crop .

the riverine rabbit has more than its fair share : doekvoet , pondhaas , bushman’s hare , deelfontein hare , boshaas and vlei haas . and for science – bunolagus monticularis .

threats not long after its discovery in 1902 , the riverine rabbit was known as the ‘pondhaas’ because captain g . c . shortridge , the curator of the kaffrarian museum in king william’s town , offered a pound for each rabbit brought to him . there is no state - owned land protecting the riverine rabbit and its habitat and already two - thirds of its original habitat has been destroyed . most known habitat occurs on private land .

the riverine rabbit lives only in dense riverine scrub in the alluvial floodplains of the seasonal rivers in the central karoo desert . it is restricted to riverine scrub of 0 . 5 - 1 m ( 1 . 6 - 3 . 2 ' ) in height and to areas with soil types that allow stable burrows to be constructed . ( avery 1988 , stuart & stuart 1996 )

the riverine rabbits are slow breeders and when breeding season comes they may only produce one or two offspring , this is a very low amount considering that the riverine rabbits only live for around three years .

the riverine rabbit is native to the karoo desert in south africa and is classed as critically endangered due to loss of habitat from farming and agriculture . there is estimated to be only around 250 of this rabbits left in existence and coupled with the fact that these rabbits are very slow breeders compared to other types of rabbit ( the riverine rabbit only has around 3 - 4 offspring in a lifetime ) means that they are under a very real threat of extinction .

this rabbit was snapped in january this year . researchers are hoping camera traps will help them answer a crucial question : just how many riverine rabbits are out there ? image : drylands conservation programme

riverine rabbits , like other rabbits and hares , are often run over on roads . they also easily become prey to traps that are indiscriminately laid . stray dogs , hunters and the making of firewood along the riverbeds , which destroys the riverine rabbit’s natural habitat , threaten the survival of this small mammal .

most closely related to pentalagus furnessi ( amami rabbit ) , caprolagus hispidus ( hispid hare ) and the domestic rabbit ( oryctolagus cuniculus ) . ( n32 . 8 . w1 )

the film titled riverine rabbit was done by ogilvy cape town advertising agency for product : the sunday times newspaper ( brand : sunday times ) in south africa . it was released in jun 2008 .

the rabbit kitten weighs about 40 g at birth . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

pygmy rabbits are on average the smallest rabbit , with large individuals weighing about 1 pound .

the chances of survival for south africa’s most endangered mammal , the riverine rabbit , looks even more desperate than has commonly been feared . the conservation status of this karoo rabbit has , according to the latest iucn 2002 red data list for endangered species , been raised from endangered to critically endangered .

the riverine rabbit , an inhabitant of the central karoo , lives in the ganna bush of the seasonal riverbeds of the districts of beaufort west , loxton , carnarvon , calvinia , sutherland , victoria west and fraserburg . contrary to what is commonly believed about rabbits , riverine rabbits breed very slowly . this rabbit is often confused with the shrub hare , rock rabbits and the cape hare that also live in the central karoo . the riverine rabbit , however , has distinctive long ears , a black - brown stripe on its lower jaw , and a dark fluffy tail , which is visible when it bounces away .

" with the unpredictable rainfall pattern of the karoo , the condition of vegetation is most likely to play the dominant role in stimulating reproduction in the riverine rabbit . " ( n32 . 8 . w1 )

riverine rabbits have a polygamous mating system . ( b605 . 8 . w8 , n32 . 8 . w1 )

is to protect its natural habitat . the dept . of environment and cultural affairs has started a project which encourages farmers to form conservancies for this rabbit . some karoo farmers have taken this step and declared their farms natural heritage sites to protect the riverine habitat and rabbit ( duthie , 1987 ) .

although the ongers river supports roughly 21 % of the remaining suitable habitat for this species , so far no evidence exists that the riverine rabbit is found in that area . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

" the riverine rabbit distribution range is roughly surrounded by the towns beaufort west in the south , brandvlei and williston in the north , touwsrivier and calvinia in the west and victoria west in the east . "

* * * rabbits have traditionally not received much attention in africa . the riverine rabbit has been a notable exception . conservation efforts by the wildlife society of southern africa and the south african nature foundation , in concert with research activities , have done much to draw attention to its plight . a number of governmental and non - governmental organizations have joined together in the riverine rabbit conservation project to carry out important conservation work .

did you know ? that conversion of habitat for agriculture has been the major threat to the riverine rabbit ? more than 60 % of the original riparian vegetation where this species is found has been converted to cultivation .

it is ironic that rabbits are a symbol of fertility throughout the world . recent estimates suggest that 25 % of rabbit species worldwide are declining or endangered . examples of declining rabbit species include :

not all rabbit populations are under threat - - some threaten other species . read more here .

this most beloved creature is the poster bunny for conservation . experts say there may be no more than a few hundred left . not only is the riverine rabbit critically endangered , it is found only in the karoo .

the survival of the riverine rabbit now depends on the co - operation among the conservation organizations that are involved with the national riverine rabbit co - ordination committee , landowners , and the general public . a conservation plan of cape nature conservation and the northern cape nature conservation services , which is funded by wwf sa , focuses on the identification of all the areas where the rabbit and its optimal habitat may be found . appropriate management principles are also being laid down for these areas , and a comprehensive awareness campaign is part of the plan .

there are currently no riverine rabbits kept by zoos . several zoos support however an in situ conservation project for the species .

" other threats to the rabbit ' s habitat include fragmentation of riverine vegetation through impoundments in river channels , weirs , cultivated and historic lands and habitat destruction due to firewood collecting . " ( n32 . 8 . w1 )

helps humans in farming and can only be sustained if this rabbit continues to feed on this vegetation .

so what went wrong for the riverine rabbit ? over the past 70 years , more than two - thirds of its habitat has been swallowed up by agriculture or ruined by overgrazing . as its name suggests , the riverine rabbit ' s favoured haunts are the fertile floodplains of the karoo ' s seasonal rivers . . . the very same areas that have historically been most in demand for agriculture . with its riverine habitat ploughed over , the rabbit ' s numbers plummeted , an estimated decline of around 60 % over those decades . remaining populations clung to survival mostly on fragments of farmland , outside of protected areas and therefore vulnerable and difficult for conservationists to monitor . things were not looking good for bunolagus monticularis .

90 % of the rabbit ' s diet consists of karoo shrubs and the remaining 10 % of grasses .

the riverine rabbit has a dark brown stripe which runs " along the lower margins of the jaw towards the base of the ear . " no other lagomorph species in the southern african subregion share this characteristic . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

the riverine rabbit is solitary with a polygamous mating system . males and females each maintain home ranges which are exclusive with regard to members of their own sex , with a male ' s home range overlapping with the home ranges of several females .

cape town - the critically endangered riverine rabbit – one of south africa’s 10 most endangered mammals – has taken a short hop away from the precipice of extinction , following the recent discovery of a new population in capenature’s anysberg nature reserve near laingsburg .

habitat riverine rabbits are very habitat - specific and are found in dense patches of riverine bush along seasonal rivers of the semi - arid central karoo . they are the only indigenous burrowing rabbit in africa and are dependent on deep and soft alluvial soils . to the south of the escarpment they are found in areas with sparse vegetation near seasonal rivers in both succulent karoo and renosterveld vegetation .

the drive started at 9pm and just after 11pm the young rabbit was found , and was caught by hand .

the riverine rabbit is a nocturnal species ; during the day it can be found resting under the shade of a bush , within a hollow excavation . ( b147 , b285 . w5c , b605 . 8 . w8 , n32 . 8 . w1 )

lives in dense riverine scrub along the seasonal rivers in the central karoo desert in the cape province of south africa ( mills , 1997 ) .

" almost 68 % of the remaining riverine rabbit vegetation is found to be associated with an interconnected network of rivers . " these rivers include the sak , klein sak and riet , klein riet located within the central karoo . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

" irresponsible application of leghold traps ( steel - jawed gin traps ) and snares poses another significant threat to the riverine rabbit even though these devices are only aimed at problem animals such as the blackbacked jackal and caracal . " ( n32 . 8 . w1 )

distribution map # 1 ( 14 kb gif ) ( african mammals databank 2004 ) distribution map # 2 ( 25 kb jpeg ) ( spec . cons . found . ) distribution map # 3 ( 60 kb jpeg ) ( riverine rabbit cons . proj . )

beloved , cute and rare , this rabbit has faced a constellation of challenges ever since agriculture started in the karoo .

the unique life history and specialized habitat requirements of this species have made conserving and restoring this small rabbit especially challenging .

the riverine rabbit’s range has been found to stretch far further south , in recent years , than its ‘traditional’ range around williston , fraserburg , carnarvon , victoria west and loxton . isolated populations have been detected around montagu , klaarstroom , touwsrivier , barrydale and prince albert .

this species is superficially similar to the lepus capensis - cape hare in terms of both external and cranial morphology . however , whereas the cape hare has a black and white tail , the riverine rabbit has a uniformly brown tail . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

the endangered wildlife trust has set up the drylands conservation programme in nearby loxton which coordinates efforts to save this charming rabbit .

after some genetic samples were taken , the young rabbit caught at anysberg nature reserve was safely released . image : nkosinathi moyo

the riverine rabbit weighs up to 1 . 9 kg ( 4 . 2 lb ) . distinguishing marks include a distinctive white ring around each eye and a black stripe running from the corner of its mouth over its cheek . found in dense riverine scrub along the seasonal rivers in the central karoo desert in the cape province of south africa , its diet mainly consists of flowers and leaves ; grasses are included in the wet season . these rabbits are nocturnal and solitary , with a polygamous mating system and an unusually low breeding rate ( for a rabbit ) .

“the survival of the riverine rabbit as a unique species truly lies in the hands of our farming community , ” says kleynhans . conservancies are areas that are established through voluntary agreements among a number of landowners , most of whose farms border on each other , to manage their environment .

chocolate bunnies may be abundant this easter season , but some real - life rabbit species around the world are becoming increasingly rare .

it is thought that riverine rabbit young spend relatively long periods of time within the breeding stop before venturing out to forage independently ; such assumptions have been made based upon data collected on the weights of young wild juveniles ( 500 - 600 g ) . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

since 2004 , more riverine rabbit populations have been discovered in the western cape in areas where the species’ occurrence wasn’t known . the newly discovered area stretches from klaarstrom ( southeastern central karoo ) to montagu and barrydale ( klein karoo ) as well as the ceres karoo . the habitat differs significantly from the typical riverine habitat which is found in the central and upper karoo above the escarpment and is very much dominated by renosterveld . ( v . 142 )

with so few riverine rabbits , years can pass before fieldworkers actually catch a glimpse of one , so it’s difficult to build up a picture of their habits .

nowak , r . 1997 . " bushman rabbit " ( on - line ) . accessed nov . 18 , 2001 at urltoken .

farmers in the northern cape will soon follow this example and establish successful conservancies . landowners who want to get involved in the establishment of a riverine rabbit conservancy can contact chrizette kleynhans ( cnc ) at ( 044 ) 279 1739 or leon muller ( ncncs ) at ( 027 ) 341 - 1779 .

) which lives in seasonal riverbeds . the species is distinguished by its long ears , a black - brown stripe on its lower jaw , and a dark fluffy tail . unlike most rabbits , the riverine rabbit produces just one offspring per year and an estimated total of four offspring during its lifetime .

in addition , most remaining pygmy rabbit habitat—throughout its range—is currently grazed by livestock , which may reduce habitat quality for pygmy rabbits . in some areas , wildfires have destroyed remaining pockets of pygmy rabbit habitats . the temperature and frequency of these fires may increase by the invasion of the exotic annual grass , cheatgrass ; thus , it is more likely to destroy sagebrush stands . coyotes—important rabbit predators—have increased in number over the last few decades , presumably because of habitat changes . in addition , diseases like tularemia and sylvatic plague can decimate rabbit populations periodically .

this differs slightly in pentalagus furnessi - amami rabbit , with the molars sometimes being 2 / 3 . ( b147 , b623 . w3 )

) as a threatened or endangered species throughout its range . the rabbit is already listed as endangered in the columbia basin of washington state .

the riverine rabbits is a habitat specialist that occupies a very restricted and specialised niche : the discontinuous and dense vegetation on soft and nutrient - rich alluvial soils associated with the seasonal rivers of the karoo . riverine rabbits therefore function as a biological indicator for the river zones in the karoo , which are of enormous economical value for farmers . the extinction of riverine rabbits in many areas of its former distribution range in the northern and western cape is therefore indicative of the severe destruction , fragmentation and loss of this habitat .

the riverine rabbit has a typical rabbit shape but the body is more elongated and the ears are longer and more hare - like . distinguishing facial marks include a distinctive white eye ring around each eye and a black brown stripe along the sides of the lower jaw . the tail is uniformly brown and resembles a “pom - pom” . the coat colour is variable but is a reddish - brown shade grizzled with black , the underparts are a drab gray .

however , additionally : s ince 2004 more riverine rabbit populations have been discovered in the western cape in areas where the species’ occurrence wasn’t known . the newly discovered area stretches from klaarstrom ( southeastern central karoo ) to montagu and barrydale ( klein karoo ) as well as the ceres karoo . ( v . 142 )

sansinena m . j . , owiny d . , denniston r . s . , salamone d . , barry d . ( 2007 ) 52 initiation of pregnancies in south african riverine rabbit ( bunolagus monticulares ) by interspecies nuclear transfer using adipose - derived somatic cells . reproduction , fertility and development 20 , 106 - 107 .

the primary food source of the riverine rabbit are wild flowers and leaves of the karoo desert foliage that is common along the seasonal rivers however they have been known to feed on grass when the opportunity presents itself which is limited to the karoo desert’s wet season . the riverine rabbits are nocturnal and live a lonesome life only interacting in the breeding season and even though they live along they live in areas common to their kind and always exclusively of the same gender with borders on the opposite gender only slightly over lapping .

an endangered columbia basin pygmy rabbit juvenile born at the captive breeding facility at washington state university , pullman , washington , usa . photo : tara davila

studies on vegetation composition ( in terms of percentage cover , occurrence and plant heights and widths ) suggest that salsola glabrescens and lycium species are the dominant plants within the riverine rabbit ' s habitat , whilst other species including pteronia erythrocaetha , osteospermum spinescens , kochia pubescens and galenia procumbens are significant contributors . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

the wildlife breeding and research centre in johannesburg supports the project by transporting for free all possible fresh material that can be collected from riverine rabbits , and keeping it in their genetic database .

but the technology doesn ' t come cheap . despite receiving some funding to help with its much - needed conservation work , the programme still needs financial help . " we are still in desperate need for funds for additional cameras , " says bragg . " ideally , we need to have several batches of cameras working simultaneously throughout riverine rabbit habitat . "

“people who are aware of such offences must report it as soon as possible , ” says kleynhans . the riverine rabbit’s natural habitat does not lie protected within formal conservation areas like nature reserves , but on the huge sheep farms in the karoo . that is why conservationists believe that the key to its survival lies in a network of conservancies supported by farmers .

it is the only african rabbit where the female prepares an underground burrow for her young . this nest is lined with grass and fur . ( nowak 1999 )

some camera traps were placed at the privately - owned sanbona wildlife reserve , only three hours’ drive from cape town . to everyone’s surprise , this 54 000 hectare reserve is home to several riverine rabbits .

“it is important to us to gather as much genetic material as possible , so that research can be done on specific genetic populations , diseases and the general condition of riverine rabbits , ” says kleynhans .

» hays , d . 2001 . 2001 addendum : washington state recovery plan for the pygmy rabbit . washington department of fish and wildlife olympia , washington . 24pp .

the riverine rabbit is one of southern africa’s most endangered mammals . its endangered status was first recognised in 1981 . during 2002 its conservation status upgraded to critically endangered . with an estimated 250 or less mature individuals in the wild today ( with less than 1500 in total ) the species is at an extremely high risk of extinction . the following factors have contributed to population reduction .

some rabbit species around the world are being squeezed out by known factors such as development and agricultural pressures . others are so little known that their conservation status is uncertain .

the riverine rabbit reaches a head - body length of 34 - 48 cm . the tail measures 7 - 11 cm . males weigh about 1 . 5 kg , females up to 1 . 9 kg . this rabbit has very long ears , a soft and silky coat and a light brown woolly tail with a black tip . distinguishing marks include a distinctive white ring around each eye and a black stripe running from the corner of its mouth over its cheek . the belly and throat are cream in colour and the short limbs have particularly thick fur .

provides many benefits for farmers . the riverine vegetation that the rabbit feeds on , causing this vegetation to regenerate , binds the soil and prevents it from being washed away in floods . also , this vegetation promotes filtration of rainwater to groundwater , which is a benefit for the farmer who uses windmills to draw up water for his livestock ( burton , 1987 ) . indirectly , the habitat of

this means that , according to all indications , there are no more than 250 adult riverine rabbits left , and that the population is showing a continued drop in numbers . according to these criteria there is also not a satellite population of more than 50 adults in existence . this estimate is very conservative measured against the estimate of 500 riverine rabbits world wide , which is generally accepted by conservationists who are actively involved in their protection .

» mcallister , k . r . 1995 . washington state recovery plan for the pygmy rabbit . wildlife management program , washington department of fish and wildlife , olympia , wa .

a network of conservancies for the riverine rabbit could create an extensive informal conservation area to protect remaining populations and potential habitat . as such a chain of neighbouring lands also protect ecosystems such as rivers , it could lead to an increase in other wildlife . the use of environmentally friendly farming methods is also encouraged , such as not sowing along the riverbeds , and using snares for problem animals selectively .

the home ranges of male riverine rabbits overlap with several female ranges , and cover an area of roughly 21 ha . female home ranges are smaller ( roughly 13 ha . ) and do not overlap . ( b147 )

in addition to monitoring the ' farmland ' populations , conservation groups now had new rabbit territory to keep an eye on , and lots of research to carry out to determine how the new population differs from riverine rabbits elsewhere . tracking small animals that are rare , elusive , well camouflaged and predominantly nocturnal is no easy task . . . which is why conservationists turned to technology to help them out .

distribution most of their distribution range falls outside the western cape province above the escarpment of the nuweveld mountains in the semi - arid central karoo . more populations of riverine rabbit have recently been discovered south of the escarpment in the districts of touwsriver , montagu and barrydale , as well as at klaarstroom , immediately north of meiringspoort . ( records from friedmann and daly ( 2004 ) and the capenature biodiversity database ) .

high - pitched distress squeals are emitted by leporids when captured by a predator , and specific alarm calls are produced in five rabbit species . ( b285 . w5b , b430 . w2 )

differing from the usual rapid breeding of most rabbit species , the riverine rabbit produces just one kitten a year . in a polygynous mating system , males make use of their large home ranges to mate with every female in their territory ( 2 ) . between august and may ( 3 ) , the females will make a nest in a burrow lined with grass and fur , and blocked with soil and twigs ( 4 ) . they give birth to a helpless , blind and hairless kitten 35 days after mating ( 5 ) . this underdeveloped offspring will remain will its mother for some time before dispersing ( 2 ) .

this 2012 clio awards silver winning entry titled & apos ; riverine rabbit & apos ; was entered by tbwa \ hunt \ lascaris , johannesburg . the piece was submitted to the medium : out of home within the entry type : n / a and the category : poster . it consists of 1 image . this piece is part of a campaign called & apos ; the last ones left & apos ; that consists of 6 elements .

a pygmy rabbit hops out of its artificial burrow during a pilot reintroduction experiment conducted by washington state university designed to develop methods suitable for restoring extirpated populations . photo : rodney sayler , washington state university

» hays , d . , and k . warheit . 2004 . columbia basin pygmy rabbit captive breeding and genetic management plan . washington department of fish and wildlife . olympia , washington . 29pp .

in washington , management efforts by a number of agencies have included acquiring and restoring potential habitat for the endangered columbia basin pygmy rabbit—a slow and expensive task . because some pygmy rabbit habitat is contained within private lands , agencies have attempted to work with local ranchers and farmers to develop mutually beneficial resource management plans and safe harbor agreements . many private landowners are wary of having endangered species on their land and mistrust state and federal natural resource agencies , however , so this work has been sensitive and arduous . as a parallel course of action , and perhaps the last chance for saving the columbia basin pygmy rabbit 4 , washington department of fish and wildlife initiated a program in 2001 for captive breeding and restoration of pygmy rabbits , which is now a key component of the federal recovery plan for the columbia basin pygmy rabbit .

is an endangered species . the most devastating threat to the riverine rabbit is the loss of its habitat . this habitat is limited to the alluvial floodplains of seasonal rivers in the central karoo . these flood plains , only 100 - 200 m wide , are formed when the rivers overflow during floods , and deposit silt on their banks ( duthie , 1987 ) . this soil is very good for cultivation compared with other soils found in the dry karoo . over the past 50 years , more than two - thirds of its habitat has been ploughed over for this purpose . other threats to its survival include overgrazing and hunting . overgrazing of riverine habitat opens up cover that it needs for shelter and to escape predation .

is the only african rabbit that prepares an underground shelter for its young . this nest is 10 - 15 cm in diameter , 25 cm long , and lined with grass and fur ( nowak , 1997 ) .

this species resides in dense riparian vegetation along seasonal rivers ( b605 . 8 . w8 ) ; dense riverine bush / scrub . ( b147 , b285 . w5c , n32 . 8 . w1 ) in the central karoo region . ( n32 . 8 . w1 )

some rabbit species thump the ground with their hind feet when faced with danger ( b285 . w5b , b430 . w2 ) ; this reaction is thought to be a warning to nestlings underground . ( b285 . w5b )

) , for example , is a staple in the spanish lynx ' s diet . but a pox virus , myxomatosis , has raced through rabbit populations on the iberian peninsula , making them so rare that spanish lynx (

elsewhere , disappearing rabbits can signal declining health of grassland and sagebrush ecosystems . in the united states , a coalition of conservation groups is petitioning the u . s . government to list the palm - sized pygmy rabbit (

» federal register . may 20 , 2005 . endangered and threatened wildlife and plants : 90 - day finding on petition to list the pygmy rabbit as threatened and endangered . federal register 70 : 29 , 253–29 , 265 .

“for practical reasons it is not always possible to obtain bits of skin or blood from live rabbits , and we are dependent on the public who can supply or report any potential material , ” explains kleynhans . she therefore calls on anyone who comes across a dead riverine rabbit or some of its remains , even if it is only a small heap of bones , to contact her ( 044 - 279 - 1739 ) or dr vicky ahlmann ( 053 - 381 - 3107 ) , a german researcher in loxton .

» gahr , m . l . 1993 . natural history , burrow habitat use , and home range of the pygmy rabbit of sagebrush flats , washington . m . s . thesis , university of washington , seattle , washington .

i live outside montagu . we have two riverine rabbits who appear early morning to drink from the water containers we leave for other wild animals eg meerkatte , porcupines , steenbokkies , mountain tortoises etc . with the drought , our “water holes ” have become a gathering place for wild life .

as of 2001 , it was thought to occur in river catchments in the semi - arid south central karoo between beaufort west and williston , and sutherland and victoria west . it is found only on private farmland in riverine vegetation along seasonal river courses . ( ahlmann 2001 , cape nature conservation )

motion - activated camera traps are a great tool for determining the density of populations , in addition to providing important information about rabbit behaviour and habits . knowing more about the species is essential for developing effective conservation strategies . previous trials using camera traps have already shown success , and the technology is now being tested out on a larger scale . a new study launched at the start of this month involves camera traps set up in a specialised grid system to cover large swathes of rabbit territory .

pygmy rabbits are fed commercial and custom rabbit pellets consisting of grains , alfalfa , grass hay , vitamins , and minerals . each breeding facility grows fresh grasses and greens , and rabbits are provided with greenhouse - grown or wild - cut sagebrush ;

until recently , the status of pygmy rabbit populations in the u . s has received little attention . their range consists of the great basin and surrounding intermountain regions , including montana , idaho , wyoming , utah , nevada , northern california , oregon , and washington . there is one exception—the columbia basin pygmy rabbit . it was extirpated from the wild in washington by 2004 , and this genetically distinct population was listed by the u . s . fish and wildlife service as an endangered distinct population .

» federal register . march 5 , 2003 . endangered and threatened wildlife and plants ; final rule to list the columbia basin distinct population segment of the pygmy rabbit ( brachylagus idahoensis ) as endangered . federal register 68 : 10 , 388–10 , 409 .

the riverine rabbit is a solitary , nocturnal animal and rests during the heat of the day in shallow depressions scraped out under shrubs . the breeding rate is unusually low . breeding occurs between august and may . females dig stable burrows in the soft and deep soils in which they raise , after a pregnancy period of 35 days , one ( rarely two ) offspring per breeding season . the newborn rabbits are blind , hairless and completely dependent on their mother , whereas hare leverets can see and have fur at birth . the live span in the wild hardly exceeds 4 years .

african mammals databank 2004 , ahlmann 2001 , ahlmann 2002 , avery 1988 , burton & pearson 1987 , chapman & flux 1990 , collins 2001 , collins et al . / iucn 2003a , flux 2005 , iucn 2004 , cons . intl . , focus 1995b , iucn 1994 , iucn 1996 , iucn 2000 , iucn 2003a , kingdon 1997 , macdonald 1984 , macdonald 2001 , nowak 1999 , nowak & paradiso 1983 , riverine rabbit cons . proj . , silva & downing 1994 , spec . cons . found . , stuart & stuart 1996 , wwf wild world , yeld 1999

it has been reported that due to cultivation , the natural vegetation along nearly half of the rivers within the rabbit ' s range has been destroyed . the extent of the riparian habitat loss has exceeded 60 % . ( b147 , b605 . 8 . w8 )

the riverine rabbit is nocturnal , spending the night feeding on flowers , leaves and grasses , and the day in shallow depressions under bushes , hiding from predators such as black eagles . at night the droppings are firm , but during the day they are soft and are immediately eaten after deposition . this behaviour is known as coprophagia and occurs in rabbits as their digestive system is basic , and re - ingestion allows further extraction of calcium and phosphorous , as well as the absorption of vitamin b that is produced by the bacteria of the hind gut during the initial ingestion ( 2 ) .

“he was just a few kilometres from a private farm where we’ve been aware of a population for the past two or three years . he appeared to have been following the ( dry ) river course from this farm , so that also opens up a whole lot of other opportunities ( to find other riverine rabbits ) . ”

" there may be just a few hundred and none are in protected areas , all are on private land , " said smith . conservationists are working with landowners to develop protection plans for the rabbit , which the conservationists say will also help protect south africa ' s riverside ecosystems .

» shipley , l . . a . , t . b . davila , n . j . thines , and b . a . elias . 2006 . nutritional requirements and diet choices of the pygmy rabbit ( brachylagus idahoensis ) : a sagebrush specialist . journal of chemical ecology 32 : 2455–2474 .

» u . s . fish and wildlife service . 2007 . draft recovery plan for the columbia basin distinct population segment of the pygmy rabbit ( brachylagus idahoensis ) . portland , oregon . 118 . pp , urltoken ( accessed 1 / 10 / 08 ; updated 6 / 29 / 10 ) .

my name is cronje and i farm in the central karoo region in south - africa . over the last couple of years i have seen numerous riverine rabbits ( oewer koenyn , in afrikaans ) . i’m happy to report that the creatures are doing very well and i believe that their numbers are increasing . i’ll try and take a snap shot the next time i see one . . : )

this is a dark , grizzled grey rabbit , tinged rufous , with a contrasting deep rich rufous nape patch ( b147 ) and a dark brown stripe running along the lower margins of the jaw towards the ear base ( no other lagomorph species in the southern african subregion share this characteristic ) . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

identification the riverine rabbit can reach approximately 52 cm in size and has large ears . it has a distinguishing dark brown band running along the side of the lower jaw upwards to the bottom of the ears . the upper parts are a grizzled drab grey while the sides are slightly darker and rufous where it blends with the dense grey hair on the underside . the eyes are encircled with white rings with dark elongated patches above these . the fringed inner margins of the long ears are covered with white hair , the outer margins with short buffy hair and the tips are covered with short black hair . the hair on the nape of the neck is slightly shorter and is a rich rufous colour . the grey - brown tail is short and fluffy , but darker towards the tip .

females give birth to their young into breeding stops which have been lined with grass and fur . ( b605 . 8 . w8 , n32 . 8 . w1 ) . the construction of these breeding stops is thought to be similar to those of oryctolagus cuniculus - european rabbit and ( sylvilagus transitionalis - new england cottontail . ( b605 . 8 . w8 )

lisa shipley , ph . d . , is a wildlife ecologist and associate professor in the department of natural resource sciences at washington state university . her research focuses on foraging behavior , nutrition , and habitat requirements of wildlife . she directs the pygmy rabbit captive breeding program at washington state university and is a member of the usfws recovery team for pygmy rabbits . urltoken

# gonehome campaign : a film by rabbit king . 3rd year students in vcd ( visual communication design ) made a series of short stop - motion animations as part of an integrated print , video and online environmental awareness campaign for the endangered wildlife trust , south africa . by : elza grobler , silvie van onselen , robin jones , jenna antrobus , simeon willemse , lila huyzers .

loss and degradation of habitat are the main threats to the species . over the last century , 50 - 80 % of habitat has been lost as a result of cultivation ( mostly in the past ) and livestock farming ( ongoing ) . other threats to the species include hunting ( the rabbit is hunted for sport and by farm workers ) , and accidental mortality in traps set for pest animals on farmlands .

this re - evaluation was done in march in johannesburg at a workshop of the conservation breeding specialist group , a partner of the endangered wildlife trust , during which the conservation status of 300 of southern africa’s mammal species was investigated . ten southern african mammal species are regarded as critically endangered . this includes the black rhinoceros , four kinds of mole , and two bat species . the populations of riverine rabbits and red bush squirrels are , however , the only southern african mammal species that are in such extremely dire straits world wide .

is easily identified by the black stripe running from the corner of its mouth over its cheek , a brown woolly tail , cream - colored fur on its belly and throat , and a broad , club - like hind foot . its tail is pale brown with a tinge of black toward the tip . its coat is soft and silky and its limbs are short and heavily furred ( nowak , 1997 ) . male riverine rabbits weigh approximately 1 . 5 kg while females weigh about 1 . 8 kg ( duthie , 1987 ) .

this elegant rabbit is one of the most endangered terrestrial mammals in southern africa . it has very long ears , a soft and silky coat and a uniformly brown , woolly tail . a distinctive black stripe runs from the corner of the mouth over the cheeks ( 2 ) , and it has white rings around the eyes ( 3 ) . the belly and throat are cream in colour and the short limbs have particularly thick fur ( 2 ) .

pygmy rabbits in washington state , however , have been particularly vulnerable . this population was separated from those in other parts of their range as sagebrush communities receded with climate changes . analysis of the rabbit’s genome suggests that the divergence of the washington population occurred between 15 , 000 and 115 , 000 years ago . because of long - term geographic isolation and local habitat fragmentation , the washington population exhibits significantly lower genetic diversity than the populations in neighboring states .

differences in pregnancy rate between columbia basin and idaho pygmy rabbits , and the extremely low genetic diversity of the columbia basin rabbits , suggested that inbreeding depression might have played an important role in low pregnancy rates . therefore , our second strategy was to begin a process of genetic rescue , where the columbia basin pygmy rabbits were intercrossed with idaho rabbits , aiming for creating and maintaining a captive and release population of greater than 75 % columbia basin genes . intercrossing required maintaining a balance between preserving the unique genetic profile of the columbia basin pygmy rabbit , while increasing the genetic diversity overall . rabbits from the two populations mated readily , and the intercross rabbits had higher pregnancy and siring rates ; thus , they produced more kits per adult than the pure columbia basin pygmy rabbits .

and then , late last year , an unexpected dose of good news . a new population of the rabbits popped up in a very different part of the karoo – and this time , the animals were hopping about on protected land , within the 81 , 000 - hectare anysberg nature reserve in south africa ' s western cape province . the species had been spotted in this part of the karoo before ( back in 2003 ) , but this was the first sign of the rabbits in a formally protected area anywhere in the country ( it ' s likely the rabbits had migrated there from a nearby farm ) . a night survey was set up to confirm the sightings and a young rabbit was caught , proving the animals were also doing what rabbits are supposed to do best : breeding .