Re: Another Fish I.D.

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@fgn.net>]

Colin,

A. sp. Peru, huh. What a terrible name! It's already been used for an urteagai-like form & a regani-complex form (Masken/Carapintada). I hope we can find another name for it.

Identifying apisto species by their females can be next to impossible. Males are much better subjects for this process. Still I don't understand why you don't think it might not be A. cacatuoides. Your female matches Koslowski's description of Group 11 females in his article: Beiträge zur Unterscheidung von Apistogramma-Weibchen (Contributions to the differentiation of Apistogramma females) in "Cichliden" The commemorative volume of the 25th anniversary of the German Cichlid Association, p.204-217. In it Koslowski writes (translation):

"Group 11:  These species have no caudal spot, a yellow base color, and a prominent lateral spot or lateral band. (A. agassizii, A. gephyra, A.sp. Rio Tefé, A. bitaeniata, A. elizabethae, A. paucisquamis, A. mendezi, A. gibbiceps, A. cacatuoides, A. juruensis, A. luelingi, A. norberti, A. staecki, A. trifasciata, and A. sp. Breitbinden)."

I know most cacatuoides females will move back and forth between band and spot, depending on mood. The last cacatuoides I kept (an Orange domestic variety) matched your description of the female while in brood dress (while tending eggs or fry). The only time she had a visible lateral band was when she was not breeding/brooding. Maybe you have a population with a similar color pattern. On the other hand, it might be A. sp. aff. juruensis (Schwarzkinn/Black-chin), the (relatively) common hobby form of A. juruensis (do the females have lots of black under the jaw & chin?), or ?.

A description/photograph of the males would be much more helpful.

Mike Wise

Colin Gorton wrote:

> When I was in the UK at Christmas I picked up what both Pete Liptrot and I thought were simply very dull looking A. Cacatoos, labled as sp. "Peru". However, the female is now showing breeding colours and she doesn't look like any Cacatoo in breeding colours that I've seen. I know that on Cacatoo fems the lateral stripe can sometimes disappear for a short time but on this one the line is non-existent, just the spot in the middle of her flank plus black pectoral fins and the front of her dorsal is black plus the usual cheek stripe, no other markings and a very intense yellow overall, she's much more attractive than her live-in lover!
> Any ideas as to what they are, I'm not convinced any more that they're Cacatoos, but then again I've not seen anything like this either!
> C.-)lin

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@listbox.com.




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@listbox.com.