Nothobranchius furzeri

Description

Nothobranchius furzeri, the turquoise killifish, is a species of aplocheilid fish native to Africa where it is only known from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This annual killifish inhabits ephemeral pools in semi-arid areas with scarce and erratic precipitations and have adapted to the routine drying of their environment by evolving desiccation-resistant eggs that can remain dormant in the dry mud for one and maybe more years by entering into diapause. Due to very short duration of the rain season, the natural lifespan of these animals is limited to a few months and their captive lifespan is likewise short, making them an attractive model system for ageing and disease research. Tandem repeats comprise 21% of the species' genome, an abnormally high proportion, which has been suggested as a factor in its fast ageing. The species has the fastest known sexual maturity among vertebrates, going from hatchling to an adult ready to breed in only 14 days. This species can reach a total length of 6.5 cm (2.6 in). The namesake of the fish is derived from the discoverer Richard E. Furzer of Rhodesia.