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Adult, male specimen of Clown killi, also called Banded panchax ( Epiplatys annulatus ).

Clown killi

Small West African freshwater fish with ringed patterns

Photo: Oscar le poisson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The clown killi is a small freshwater fish native to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Described in 1915 by George Albert Boulenger, it belongs to the family Nothobranchiidae. Its name refers to the distinctive ring-like lateral pattern on its body.

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  • Native to fresh waters in West Africa
  • Described by George Albert Boulenger in 1915
  • Name refers to ring-shaped lateral pattern
  • Found in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone

What it is

The clown killi, also known as the banded panchax, is a species of African rivuline fish. It belongs to the family Nothobranchiidae. The scientific name combines Greek words for 'above' and 'flat' with a Latin term for 'ring', describing its lateral pattern. This small fish is recognised by the distinct ring-like markings along its side.

Where it lives

This species is native to West Africa. Its natural range includes fresh water habitats in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The type locality for the original description was likely Maka, situated at the mouth of the Moa River in Sierra Leone. It inhabits inland freshwater systems within these three countries.

Clown killi
A drawing made by EveryFish from what this page says. It is a diagram, not a picture of the real fish.
Sagital view of clown killi (Epiplatys annulatus)
Sagital view of clown killi (Epiplatys annulatus). Photo: Unknown author, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions people ask about Clown killi

Where does the clown killi live?

It is native to freshwater habitats in West Africa, specifically found in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Who described this species?

George Albert Boulenger described the species in 1915, originally naming it Haplochilus annulatus.

What does its name mean?

The genus name means flat or broad above, while the species name annulatus refers to its ring-like lateral pattern.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Clown killi", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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