Re: P.taeniata "moliwe"

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

Mayalauren@aol.com wrote:

> Today I snapped up a female moliwe. At least that was what I was told. She
> does'nt look like any fish in the L & S book, something between the Nigeria
> yellow and the Moliwe. She only has one spot on her dorsal. Are dorsal spots a
> species diferentiating trait?

No. Spots on Pelvicachromis can be variable. When I had Moliwe, nearly 20 years
ago, some of the females had 1, others had 2 dorsal spots. Out of my last spawn of
Pv. roloffi (Guinea) I have females with anywhere from 0 to 2 dorsal spots.

> Can different species of taeniatus interbreed?

Pv. taeniatus, as it now stands, is a single species with many color forms. I
assume you mean will the various color forms interbreed. Of course they will just
like different color forms of aggies will.

While on the subject of Pv. taeniatus it should be mentioned that what we consider
a single species (Pv. taeniatus) actually appears to be a species-complex - a
group of very closely related species with a single related ancestor (monophyly).
There appear to be at least two, but probably more, species within the complex. In
the Nigerian forms, for example, the males have indistinct lateral bands and dark
margins on the lower lobe of the caudal fin. Their female counterparts show
distinct lateral bands and often strongly patterned tails. These are like the
holotype of Pv. taeniatus. In the Cameroon forms the males have very pale or no
lateral band and the lower lobe does not have the dark rim of the Nigerian forms.
Spots on the upper lobe of the tail are fewer but larger in the Cameroon form,
too. Their females show no or very indistinct lateral bands and unpatterned tails,
except for a few large spots. The Cameroon forms are more like the holotype of A.
kribensis. Then there are some intermediate forms that have mixes of the Pv.
taeniatus and Pv. kribensis features. Moliwe (more Nigeria-like) & Muyuka (more
Cameroon-like) are examples. It's these intermediate forms that have bound the
forms of Pv. taeniatus into a single species for now. This is really out of my
area of research, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the future.

>  I really want to get the right male for her but I want to be sure of what she
> is!
> If anyone has some specific points by which to tell the different species I'd
> be most grateful.
> Jason (I wish I could post a picture... but I can't!!)

Moliwe females are  deeper bodied (like a female Pv. pulcher) than the more
slender Nigeria forms.

Mike Wise

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