This species was originally described in the genus Cynolebias and transferred to Simpsonichthys.

W. Costa (2006) assigned a large group of species from the genus Simpsonichthys to the subgenus Hypsolebias (Costa 2006). Hypsolebias was subsequently elevated to a genus (Costa 2011). According to some scientists, the separation of Hypsolebias from the genus Simpsonichthys is insufficiently substantiated and, therefore, debatable.

Discoverer(s): Wilson J.E.M. Costa, January 11. 1989.

Etymology: flame-colored (from Latin: flammeus), in reference to the red vertical bars on male sides and fins.

Type locality: junction of rio Bezerra and rio Paraná, municipio de Arraias, 450 m altitude, Tocantins state, Brasil.

Superspecies-components: 

H. adornatus, alternatus, brunoi, caeruleus, carlettoi, delucai, fasciatus, flammeus, fulminantis, gardneri, hamadryades, harmonicus, hellneri, longignatus, lopesi, magnificus, multiradiatus, ocellatus, picturatus, shibattai, splendissimus, tocantinensis, trifasciatus.

Diagnosis: all rays of dorsal and anal extended like a comb in male ; 11-15 red vertical bars on blue background on sides (not head) prolonged into dorsal and anal, and also in caudal ; female, with vertical light blue bars and two black blotches on body center

This species can be productive, and the fry is small. Immediately after hatching, the fry should be fed with freshly hatched Artemia nauplii (brine shrimp) or better Paramecium. As most annual species do, they spawn by diving entirely into the substrate. It is best to provide a container with a lid on top in which a hole is made to allow the fish access. That container will need to have enough peat in it for the fish to dive completely into it. For most Hypsolebias species, egg development is complete after 8-10 weeks. However, it is wise also to check a few weeks earlier to see if any eggs have fully developed. Do not let the peat dry too far because the Hypsolebias like it moist. The development will be slower at storage temperatures between 21 and 24 Celsius and speed up at 25-29 Celsius. Before watering the eggs, put some eggs in the water of about 18-20 degrees Celsius to see if the eggs hatch

correctly. That usually happens within 2-6 hours. Then, if eggs hatched well and fry, swim correctly, bring all remaining peat in the water. You may need to re-pack the peat after pouring over the first group of fry to a larger tank. With regular water changes and sufficient food, the young will grow quickly, and after about 5-6 weeks, they can already produce their first eggs. Since this genus has an annual life cycle, the expected life span in captivity is not much more than 10 to 12 months. Their life expectancy is limited to when their pool still has water in the wild. This period can vary from 6 to 8 months.

Remark:

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Max. size 4.0 cm.
Dorsal 21.5,
Anal 22.0,
D/A -2.0,
LL scale count (average)26.0

Costa, W.J.E.M. 1989. Redescriciao do Genero Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae), com a Descricao de uma nova Especie da Bacia do Rio Tocatins. Comunicacoes de Museu de Ciencias, Potifica Univ. Catolica de Rio Grande do Sul, 2 (9): 185, fig.1.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2008h. Simpsonichthys longignatus, a new seasonal Killifish of the S. flammeus group from the Pacoti River basin, northeastern Brazil (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters (Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters), 19 (2): 155-159, 2 figs., 1 tab.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2010e. Historical Biogeography of cynolebiasine annual Killifishes inferred from Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis. Journal of Biogeography (J. Biogeogr.), 37: 1995-2004.

Nielsen, D.T.B., J.C. da Cruz & A.C. Jr. Baptista. 2012. A new species of annual fish, Hypsolebias tocantinensis sp.n. (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the rio Tocantins basin, northeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 3527: 63-71, 6 figs.

Nielsen, D.T.B., M. Martins, L.A. Medeiros & R.R. Suzart. 2014. Hypsolebias shibattai, a new species of annual fish (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the rio São Francisco basin, northeastern Brazil. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology, 20 (1) (January): 27-34, figs.