This species was originally described as Simpsonichthys similis.

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: 

near Urucuia, road to Sao Romano, Urucuia basin, Minas Gerais state, Brasil.

Discoverer(s): Steffen Hellner and K. Schoelzel, April 1995.

Superspecies-components: 

H. auratus, gibberatus, nielseni, notatus, radiosus, rufus, similis, stellatus, trilineatus, virgulatus.

Diagnosis: anterior portion of sides, dark metallic yellow ochre in male ; no post-opercular markings ; separated from notatus by the rounded pale blue spots regularly on overall brown unpaired fins, notably Anal (and not only in upper Caudal) ; female and male, with a central black blotch on sides, similar to notatus (Costa & Hellner, 1999 ; Costa & Brasil, 2004).

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:

Above: Image taken from the description.

To the left: Francisco Falcon from Brasil made images and named them H. similis but also added " type A, B, and C." for different color patterns that was on males from various close-by locations.

Max. size 5.5 cm.
Dorsal 222.5,
Anal 20.5,
D/A -3.0,
LL scale count (average)27.0
Pre- dorsal length to % SL – 49.5 %
Depth to % SL – 33.8 %

Costa, W.J.E.M. & S. Hellner. 1999. Simpsonichthys similis (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae), une nouvelle Espece de Poisson annuel du Bassin du io Sao Francisco, Bresil. Rev. fr. Aquariol. Herpetol., 25 (1998), (3-4): 90 fig.

Belote, D.F. & W.J.E.M. Costa.  2002. Reproductive Behavior patterns in the Neotropical annual fish genus Simpsonichthys Carvalho, 1959 (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae): Description and phylogenetic implications. Boletim do Museu Nacional Rio de Janeiro, Zoologia, 489: 1-10, figs.

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