labeling fish

[Jota Melgar/ Staff <76644.2370@compuserve.com>]

Randy Carey wrote:

>>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'.<<

Since Marco's original post mentions a striking similarity between A.
geisleri and A. sp. "Alenquer", the right labeling should've been A. sp.
aff. geisleri "Alenquer". Other than that I do agree with Randy that we
must be very careful when labeling our fish, but is not easy. A good
example is the one above. I must add though that the name A. sp. "Alenquer
was given by Uwe Romer, a scientist and hobbyist we all respect. On the
other hand, if we use names we already know we take the chance of being
wrong. Take the A. sp. aff. gephyra "Rio Xingu" for example, Randy and I
believe it to be a different species and as result we think that Marco
misidentified the fish. What I am trying to say here is that when
collecting new fish it is very difficult to label new species and often we
fall short of being perfect.

About the Apisto sp. "Red Lobes Xingu", although there are some differences
I find a striking similarity between the "Red Lobes" and Apisto sp.
"Rio-Peixoto" (Aqualog pg. 67). What do you think?

Julio Melgar