This species was initially described in the genus Simpsonichthys.

W. Costa (2006) assigned many members of 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.

Type locality: Itaobim, near rio Jequitinhonha, road BR-367, Minas Gerais state, Brasil.

Discoverer(s): Wilson J.E.M. Costa and Claudia P. Bove, April 20. 2000.

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: a unique gold-ocellated dark centered blotch on female sides ; otherwise, red vertical bars in male, extending into basal Dorsal and Anal (female, with dark bars) ; Dorsal and Anal fins rounded in male (unique in superspecies) ; Caudal fin with blue bars in male ; sides with dark gray bars, silver bars on median portion and anterocentral black blotch with wide bluish silver to light golden contour in female (Costa, Nielsen & Luca, 2001).

Etymology: with an ocellus or little eye-marking (from Latin: ocellus), in reference to the dark gold-surrounded blotch on center of female sides.

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.

Remarks:

This species is not often seen in the hobby and may have disappeared entirely.

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Max. size 4.5 cm.
Dorsal 23.5,
Anal 23.0,
D/A 0.1,
LL scale count (average)26.5
Pre- dorsal length to % SL – 47.0 %

Costa, W.J.E.M., D.T.B. NIelsen & A.C. de Luca. 2001. Quatro novos Rivulideos annuais do genero Simpsonichthys (Cyprinodontiformes) das Bacias dos Rios Sao Francisco e Pardo, Brasil. Revista Aquarium, 4 (26): 25, fig.

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 (Neotrop. ichthyol.), 4 (1), 1-26, 22 figs.

Costa, W.J.E.M. 2007h. Taxonomic revision of the seasonal South American killifish genus Simpsonichthys (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei: Rivulidae). Zootaxa, 1669: 1-134.

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.

Ponzetto, J.M., R. Britzke, D.T.B. Nielsen, P.P. Parise-Maltempi & A.L. Alves. 2016. Phylogenetic Relationships of Simpsonichthys subgenera (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae), including a Proposal for a new genus. Zoologica Scripta, 45 ( 4) (July 2016): 394-406