A. borellii yellowhead what A-number

[DaRe]

I was wondering what datz A-number this color variant should be classified in.

One of the pictures further down by Erik Åhlander show an example:
http://www.ciklid.se/artregister/artreg_visa_art.php?ID=255

A-number/variants of these I suppose:
http://apisto.sites.no/page.aspx?PageId=118
A101-A104
A104 is the Opal one


A102 perhaps?

 

[Mike Wise]

Unless you know where the fish was collected or exported, it will not have a precise A-number. For all we know it could be a domestic form produced from fish from several different locations.

 

[DaRe]

Hmm, that will be tricky and I don't really know. I will keep them on the general page for Borelli but state unknown origin or similar

 

[P.W.]

Just keep in mind that the A.Borellii is a highly polychromatic species. It´s not that easy to apply the A-numbers for the numerous colorations. The comments in DATZ "South american dwarfcichlids" refering the A-numbers of A. Borellii (A101-105) highlights this as well:

"So far it´s not possible to differentiate the populations of this very widespread species. Even within individual populations the colour markings of the male gill covers, often used for differention are variable. The status of the forms pictured here is therefore not clear."

From what I can understand, you can actually find males with colorations similar to "yellowheads" living side by side with males with "Opal" colorations in any location within the distribution area.
And of course there are as Mike pointed out, many domestic strains such as Yellowheads and Opal´s (without clear origin) where breeders have enhanced the different colorations by strict line breeding.

 

[DaRe]

Yes I have began to understand this more and more. I have heard this stated but it takes time for the "polett att trilla ner" as we say in Sweden

What are the differencies between the A-numer species in the borelli group?

I hoping to get hold of a set of photos with specific caught locations of borelli and other that might be really interesting to dig into.

 

[Mike Wise]

What are the differencies between the A-numer species in the borelli group?

The fish A101 - A 104 are from known collecting localities. A. borellii (Opal) A 105 is just a color morph that is found in many different populations throughout the species' range. Opal typically is considered the most colorful blue specimens that show more red on the opercula. These fish, however, are not the original Opal, which was a domestic enhanced strain of A. borellii originally developed in the former East Germany. These fish had blue, green and yellow scales on the body with red markings on the face and yellow and blue unpaired fins. I don't believe the original Opal exists anymore. It was easier/cheaper to collect similar wild specimens than to produce them domestically.