This fish was first described as Cynolebias whitei by G.S. Myers. He honored Colonel Thomas White by that as he was the first collector of the species.

The species remained in that genus till Costa reviewed the genus Simpsonichthys and placed the species in this group. Not so long after that Costa erected a new genus named Nematolebias and this species became the only member of it. In 2006 Costa described another fish in this genus named Nematolebias papilliferus.

Nematolebias whitei occurs in small freshwater temporary pools in floodplains of streams and lagoons. These pools are shallow with compact, soft reddish brown muddy bottom and dry twice a year, during winter, usually from July to August, and during summer, usually from February to March. During dry season, all fish die and eggs undergo a developing process in the moist clay substrate.

Since the start in 2006 the genusname is discussed by other scientists.

This species seems not to difficult in reproduction and can be very productive. It is seen as a good fish for breeders that want to take a chance in breeding annuals.

The way they spawn is, as most annual species do, by diving completely into the substratum of peat- moss or even better coco peat..

This substratum is best placed in a small jar or drinking glass at the bottom, filled at least the depth of the body length of the fishes. In this way the breeder avoid the use of a thick bottomlayer and the pair will enter the jar very quick tolai their eggs.

After 5-6 weeks the fishes are capable to produce there first eggs if food was given sufficiently.

Remarks :

Max. size 11.0 cm.
Dorsal 17.5,
Anal 22.5,
D/A 7.5,
LL scale count (average)29.5
Pre- dorsal length to % SL – 58.2 %
Depth to % SL – 27.5 %

Myerst, G.S. 1942. Studies on South American freshwaterfishes I. Stanford Ichthyological Bulletin 2 (4) 106-107.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 1995d. Pearl Killifishes. The Cynolebiatinae. Systematics and Biogeography of a neotropical annual Fish Subfamily. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey: 128 pp., 136 figs.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2002b. The neotropical seasonal Fish genus Nematolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae: Cynolebiatinae): taxonomic Revision, with Description of a new Species. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters (Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters), 13 (1): 41-52, 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2003a. The Simpsonichthys flavicaudatus species group (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae: Cynolebiatinae): phylogenetic Relationships, taxonomic Revision and Biogeography. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters (Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters), 14 (1) March: 31-60, 17 figs., 5 tabs.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2006b. Descriptive Morphology and phylogenetic Relationships among species of the Neotropical annual Killifish genera Nematolebias and Simpsonichthys (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei: Rivulidae). Neotropical Ichthyology, 4 (1), 1-26, 22 figs.

Fava, D. & M. Toledo-Piza. 2007. Egg Surface Structure in the annual fishes Simpsonichthys (subgenera Ophthalmolebias and Xenurolebias) and Nematolebias (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) : Variability and phylogenetic Significance. Journal of Fish Biology (J. Fish Biol.), 71: 889-907, figs.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2012g. Delimiting Priorities while Biodiversity is lost: Rio’s seasonal killifishes on the Edge of Survival. Biodiversity and Conservation, 21 (10): 2443-2452, figs.

Costa, W.J.E.M., P.F. Amorim & G.N. Aranha. 2014. Species Limits and DNA barcodes in Nematolebias, a genus of seasonal killifishes threatened with Extinction from the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil, with description of a new species (Teleostei: Rivulidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters (Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters), 24 (3) (2013): 225-236, 3 figs., 2 tabs.