African annual shes form two clades within the aplocheiloid killishes, both belonging to the family Nothobranchiidae (Murphy and Collier, 1997; see Chapter 1). The rst clade comprises Nothobranchius, Pronothobranchius, and Fundulosoma. The genus Nothobranchius currently

CONTENTS

9.1 Distribution and Biogeography ............................................................................................. 133 9.1.1 Habitat Types ............................................................................................................ 134 9.1.2 Species Distribution and Range Size ........................................................................ 136 9.1.3 Climatic Conditions .................................................................................................. 136 9.1.4 Biogeography ............................................................................................................ 139 9.1.5 Dispersal and Colonization ....................................................................................... 140

9.2 Species Coexistence .............................................................................................................. 142 9.2.1 Community Assembly .............................................................................................. 142 9.2.2 Habitat Use ............................................................................................................... 144 9.2.3 Morphology and Diet ................................................................................................ 144

9.3 Population Ecology ............................................................................................................... 145 9.3.1 Population Genetic Structure .................................................................................... 145 9.3.2 Age Structure ............................................................................................................ 145 9.3.3 Population Size, Sex Ratio, and Their Temporal Dynamics .................................... 147 9.3.4 Ecology of Embryonic Development ........................................................................ 148

9.4 Alternative Phenotypes, Male Color Morphs, and Sex Differences..................................... 150 9.4.1 Alternative Phenotypes ............................................................................................. 150 9.4.2 Sex Differences ......................................................................................................... 150 9.4.3 Male Color Morphs ................................................................................................... 151

9.5 Life History Adaptations ...................................................................................................... 151 9.5.1 Rapid Growth and Sexual Maturation ...................................................................... 151 9.5.2 Immunity and Diseases ............................................................................................ 152 9.5.3 Phenotypic Plasticity ................................................................................................ 153

9.6 Summary and Conclusions ................................................................................................... 154 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... 155 References ...................................................................................................................................... 155

contains more than 60 described species that inhabit temporary pools in East African savannah habitats, ranging from the Nuba Mountains in Sudan to the northeastern part of South Africa. The closely related Pronothobranchius consists of four described and poorly known species recorded from a few sites. Pronothobranchius inhabit temporary pools in savannahs across the Sahel region between the Gambia and Central African Republic. Fundulosoma (a monotypic genus related to Pronothobranchius) is a facultatively annual species. The second clade of annual African killishes consists of Callopanchax from the forested region of West Africa (with ve described species from Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone) and Fundulopanchax. At least some species of Fundulopanchax (29 described species in total) from West Africa are facultatively annual. They produce eggs capable of surviving desiccation, but the pools where they are found do not dry out routinely, and their typical development does not involve habitat desiccation. Most information on African annual shes comes from studies on Nothobranchius; this chapter primarily considers the ecology of that genus. However, whenever possible, I also report information on other annual taxa of African killishes.