labeling fish

[Randy or Deb Carey <carey@spacestar.net>]

> Mike Jacobs wrote:
> >
> > Randy.........gotcha this time!!!.....:-)  No way is the Xingu red lobed
> > a gephyra........I've had 'geprhrya' and these aren't even close to
> > that.  Just kidding Randy..........your Id's are normally right on but
> > this time not.........
>

I know you're just poking good-humored fun, but I've got to respond that I wasn't
ID'ing them, I was stating how I thought they were labeled at the ACA:
        (I think the labeling went something like:
         A. gephyra "red lobe xingu".)

 I remember Marco selling "red lobe xingu" and some type of "gephyra."  Whether
these two labels were on the same or different tanks, I don't remember.  However,
I had recognized right away that what was labeled "gephyra" was not such because
of certain features.  At the time I seriously questioned Marco's names for his
fish.

However, his e'mail to me (and now to this list) has given me reason to respect
his information.  Marco seems to know a lot of details about his fish.

I think my initial distrust came from the approach Marco used to label his fish.
I rely on previous Aquarium literature for my understanding of what species
exist.  When I hear Apisto agasizzi 'such-and-such', I think that it is probably
agasizzi and is a variety 'such-and such'.  Further info may break it out into a
new species.  When I hear "Apisto sp. 'such-and-such', I think "new species.

Note the different approach Marco uses (from a recent e'mail to this list):
      Apisto sp 'emerald' seems to be a very colorful population of A.
      geisleri, a species found near that (Alenquer) locality from several
      collecting points nearby.

If this is true, I would name it A. geisleri 'emerald' or A. geisleri 'Alenquer',
but not A. sp. 'emerald'.

In short, I think he knows his fish well, but the naming convention he has used
is at odds with mine.  I have jumped to the wrong conclusions because of our
different approaches to names.

Marco, I enjoy your detailed descriptions of your fish.  I look forward to
reading the article you submitted to the Apisto-gram.


- --Randy