Apistogramma sp.putumayo

Mike Wise a écrit:I am not suprised that you are having problems with identifying these species. They are all very similar & closely related. Let me try to explain the differences.

A. sp. Putumayo is a member of the cruzi-complex. It appears to be the fish that Kullander listed as syntypes for A. cruzi. They are, however, sufficiently different from the holotype of A. cruzi (from the Rio Napo) that it probably is a separate species in its own right. A. sp. Putumayo can be distinguished from the other two forms by having more prominently visible abdominals stripes & a vertically rectangular shaped caudal spot that is split in half horizontally through the middle by a pale stripe. There are at least two color forms. The population from the Rio Algodon (Rio Putumayo system) are less colorful (see L&S English edition where they are incorretly identified as "Parallel-stripes Apistogramma"). The population from the Rio Ampiyacu, often sold as A. sp. Algodon 2, are much more colorful, having red markings appear along the lateral band & the abdominal stripes turning red when displaying. Despite the color differences, the black markings are identical on both populations.

The other two forms comprise the Pebas-complex. Although very similar in appearence to A. sp. Putumayo, they can be distinguished by having less distinct abdominal stripes & a 'double patch' on their caudal peduncle. This caudal patch is made from the caudal spot & along the lateral band a darkened part of the last vertical bar (Bar 7). Females typically have only 2-4 spots along the lateral band when in brood dress. All of the cruzi-complex females have 5 or more flank spots.

A. sp. Pebas can be separated from its A. sp. Papageien/Parrot by having a teardrop shaped caudal patch composed of an taller caudal spot and a narrow dark central part of Bar 7. The wide end of the 'teardrop' points to the tail and the narrow end points to the head. Most color forms of A. sp. Pebas show some pale irregular spotting at least in the middle part of the tail. Several color morphs of the Pebas Apisto have been sold & come in under many names (A. sp. Ampiyacu, Dolly, Morado/Purple, & Noronha).

A. sp. Papageien/Parrot is very similar to the Pebas Apisto, but can be separated by the shape of the caudal patch and lack of markings on the tail. The caudal patch on the Parrot Apisto is formed by a larger caudal spot that almost merges with a prominent Bar 7. Between Bar 7 and the caudal spot, there is only a very narrow dark horizontal stripe that joins them together, forming a patch that looks like the letter "H". A. sp. Papageien differs in its tail pattern, too. It never shows any markings in its tail, only a yellow center surrounded by red. The Parrot Apisto has come into the hobby under a number of names, too (A. sp. Algodon 1, Galaxy, Galaxis, and Nanay (NOT the same as A sp. Nanay/Melgar). A. sp. Algodon 1 is a bad name because this fish does not come from the Rio Algodon, but from the Ampiyacu.

The photos of your fish show an "H"-like caudal patch and no discernable markings on the tail. Thus the dark markings indicate that the fish is A. sp. Parrot/Papageien. The Parrot Apisto usually has more red streaks on the face, too, just like in your photos. Thus I would say that you have A. sp. Parrot/Papageien, but they are not the colorful forms we typically see. Koslowski's book has a photo of a less colorful Parrot Apisto similar to yours. The pictured fish & yours might be from the same color population.

As for the original A. sp. Nanay (=A. sp. Melgar from the Rio Nanay), this was examined by me a couple of years ago in the ACA's Buntbarsche Bulletin. A. sp. Nanay is a cruzi-like fish that Melgar sent to Römer in 1998 along with A. sp. Papageien. Uwe incorrectly believed that the two forms were the same species. He then introduced A. sp. Papageien as "A. sp. Nanay" in 1999. I corrected this mistaken ID in the BB article. In a later issue of the BB Uwe acknowledged that Papageien, in truth, was not the same species as Melgar's A. sp. Nanay. But for some reason Römer feels that we should continue using "A. sp. Nanay" for the Parrot Apisto, citing prior naming rights. Well, priority in scientific names is an accepted fact, but what does this have to do with common names? We all know how ofen common names are changed. Besides, Melgar was listing his Nanay fish as "A. sp. Nanay" on his web site in 1998, months before Uwe published his article. Personally I do not understand why anyone would want to continue to use a location name (Rio Nanay) for a fish that comes from the Rio Ampiyacu, almost a thousand miles upstream. This only confuses matters.