Newly described Apisto's from Colombia

Notification of the 2 new papers seems to be missing from here so here you go:

Lina M. Mesa Salazar & Carlos A. Lasso. (2011). Apistogramma megaptera (Perciformes: Cichlidae), una nueva especie para la cuenca del Orinoco. Biota Colombiana 12(1): 19-29.

Abstract
We describe a new species, Apistogramma megaptera (Perciformes: Cichlidae) that occurs in the upper Orinoco River Basin, in the Inírida, Atabapo and Mavaca rivers of Venezuela and Colombia.

This species is characterized by a deep body and a sexual dimorphism expressed in the different shape of the dorsal and caudal fins of males and females, as well as color pattern. Other diagnostic features that differentiate it from other species from Orinoco with crossbars on the caudal fin (Apistogramma iniridae, A. velifera and A. inornata) are: anal fin with marginal black stripe; dorsal fin with a thin marginal black line; infraorbital band wide, its width equal to the pupil; these characters are not present in the above mentioned species.

The males reach a larger size (58.7 mm LS) than females (39 mm LS). The pigmentation in the form of crossbars on the tail fin is the character that distinguishes it from other species in the Orinoco River Basin that have immaculate caudal fin (Apistogramma alacrina, A. hoignei, A. hongsloi, A. guttata, A. macmasteri and A. viejita).

Etymology
megaptera > mega (Greek), large, great, strong and ptera (Greek), wings or wing-like structure. In reference to the well developed caudal and dorsal fins of the males.

Paper available here > http://www.humboldt.org.co/publicaciones/uploads/Biota_12(1)_Enero-junio.pdf
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A quick translate suggest this is possibly what we know as Apistogramma sp. Breitbinden????
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Lina M. Mesa Salazar & Carlos A. Lasso. (2011). III. Revisión del género Apistogramma Regan, 1913 (Perciformes, Cichlidae) en la cuenca del río Orinoco. Serie Editorial Recursos Hidrobiológicos y Pesqueros Continentales de Colombia. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogotá, D. C., Colombia, 192 pp.

Los peces de la familia Cichlidae, conocidos comúnmente como mojarras, constituyen un grupo de extraordinaria riqueza y diversidad morfológica. Para Colombia se conocen unas 115 especies, sin contar aquellas por describir y que son nuevas para la ciencia. Representan un ítem de gran importancia para la seguridad alimentaria colombiana. Datos recopilados desde la década de los 90 indican que, específicamente para el género Apistogramma, se comercializaron en promedio más de 10.000 individuos al año en el país. Sin embargo y tal como se muestra en el libro que hoy presentamos, muchas de las especies exportadas a mercados internacionales, o bien tenían la identificación errada o lo que es más relevante, correspondían a nuevas especies para la ciencia. Este trabajo nos muestra la inmensa riqueza por descubrir en la Orinoquia y la importancia de la Estrategia Nacional para el Inventario de la Biodiversidad de Colombia.

The fishes of the family Cichlidae, commonly known as cichlids, are a group of extraordinary richness and morphological diversity. For Colombia, some 115 known species, excluding those to be described and are new to science. They represent an item of great importance to food security in Colombia. Data collected from the 90's show, specifically for the genus Apistogramma, were traded on average more than 10,000 individuals annually in the country. However and as shown in the book we present today, many of the species exported to international markets, or had the wrong identification or what is more relevant species were new to science. This work shows the immense wealth discovered in the Orinoco and the importance of the National Strategy for Biodiversity Inventory of Colombia.

New species:

Apistogramma caudomaculata
Apistogramma flabellicauda
Apistogramma intermedia
Apistogramma lineata
Apistogramma minima
Apistogramma nororientalis
Apistogramma pedunculata
Apistogramma piaroa

First of them then (in the order they appear in the review):

Apistogramma piaroa.
piaroa > the name is a reference to the indigenous group Piaroa living on the banks of the Orinoco River in the northwest of Amazonas State in Venezuela, the range of this species.

There is a suggestion in the discussion that this species is the same as that as identified as Breitbinden by Staeck in 2003 and 2008 and as such may now be a junior synonym of Apistogramma megaptera!

Apistogramma flabellicauda
flabellicauda > flabelli from flabellum fan (a large fan used in religious ceremonies) and cauda from caudal/tail fin. A reference to the large fan shape of the caudal fin which bears pigmented crossbars.

Discussion suggests that there are some similarities between this species and Apistogramma lineata

Apistograma lineata
lineata > from the latin for lines, in reference to the longitudinal abdominal lines displayed by this species.

could be superficially confused with Apistogramma iniridae and Apistogramma flabellicauda, however there are well defined characters to distinguish this species along with its restricted distribution of the lower Rio Atabapo

Apistogramma minima
minima > in reference to the small size of this species

Probably what Kullander (1976) identified as Apistogramma sp. 'Tavi'

Apistogramma caudomaculata
caudomaculata > from caudal, tail fin and macula, spot. In reference to the transversely enlarged spot at the base of the caudal fin

This species probably corresponds to that illustrated by Staeck (1991) for species in the Caura River, but here the distribution is extended into the delta Orinoco tributaries of the Serrania de Imataca

Apistogramma intermedia
intermedia > intermediate, in reference to the average size of the species

Could be confused with Apistogramma hoignei but differs in small size and other factors. Also distribution is restricted to Rio Caura and lower Orinoco delta where A. hoignei is absent.

Apistogramma nororientalis
nororientalis > from the French Nord (North) and Latin Orientalis (East), in reference to the distribution of this species.

Species is similar and sympatric with Apistogramma hoignei, distribution however is restricted to North East Venzuela

Apistogramma pedunculata
pedunculata > not sure of the translation here, I think it's a reference to the size of the caudal peduncle in relation to the length of the body and that the caudal peduncle (length??) is larger than normally seen in the genus Apistogramma.

Kullander (1978) ID as Apistogramma cf. hoignei. Staeck (2008) calls it Apistogramma sp. Rio Caura
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I know Mike has been looking at these papers as well so hopefully will be able to give some more input as to which of these species we have seen in the hobby already and what we have been calling them.

Andrew

Are any of these likely to be involved?

http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/index.php?threads/dwarf-from-venezuela-id-please.10258/

Haakon

About A.megaptera:

Is it likely that this is the same as A166, A.sp."Kurzlappen-Breitbinden"? I'm thinking about that dorsalfin feature, with only the anterior rays being extended an the posterior rays being even - is this feature not also found in A165, A.sp."Windisch"/"Tailspot"/"cf.Breitbinden São Gabriel"? Is the large black blotch on the caudal peduncle mentioned in the description?

Haakon

Here's A.nororientalis, apparently:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/75711291@N06/7376991528/in/photostream/lightbox/

Haakon

There's no additional information attached to the photo, but I have now asked Mikolji what river the photo was taken in.

Words are in from Mikolji about the location where this photo was taken: "it was taken in a small Morichal in the Anzoategui state of Venezuela." Does this match the description of A.nororientalis?

Haakon