A sp "Harlequin".

[Peter Lovett1]

Does anyone have any collection detail for this fish. I got a box of 50 fish about 3 weeks ago. Came in in very poor condition after loosing about half seem to have settled in.

To the point i have 2 females with spawn one in a breeding tank and one in the stock tank and for Harlequin they are very nice looking fish. They are imposable to photograph as they hide as soon as they seem me.

 

[Mike Wise]

The Harlequin Apisto comes from small streams around the mouth of the Rio Huallaga where it meets the Rio Marañon (blackwater).

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Thanks Mike,

Could you tell me how many spiece are now know from the Rio Huallaga system which are part of the nijsseni sub complex. I can think of 3 are there anymore

 

[Mike Wise]

I can only think of 2 species, A. baenschi (= A. sp. Inka/Inca) & A. sp. Harlekin/Harlequin. What other nijsseni-group species comes from this area??

 

[Peter Lovett1]

I was under the impresion that a fish call inca2 also came from the huallaga system but that was a guess.

 

[Mike Wise]

I'm not familiar with Inka 2. Is it a different species from A. baenschi? A. baenschi has been called Inka/Inca with several numbers behind it.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

No this fish is diffrent seems to looks similar but without such distinct banding and has a larger caudal spot than baenschi and does not have such a high dorsal. The photo is in the aqualog extra.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Also if you find the time could you explain why you feel that A. baenschi is a an older fish in evolutionary tirms than panduro and where you feel Harlequin fits into it all.

I tend to agree that A. baenschi with you on this but may be for different reasons.

 

[Mike Wise]

Based on cladistic studies by Kullander (1998), the genus Apistogramma is most closely related to the genus Gymnogeophagus. They share many features that originated from their common ancestor: moderate size, split vertical bars, large spots on the flank & caudal peduncle, extended dorsal spines & a double tipped caudal fin. Apistos, in my opinion, appear to be evolving toward a more 'cryptic' lifestyle that is better adapted to living in shallower waters, less favored by larger species. In this respect the more 'advanced' species tend to be small, with smaller or no flank spot, lower & less ornate fins. If we look at apisto species within many species-groups we can see a progression of species from those with more plesiomorphic (ancient/ancestral) features to those with fewer such features:

regani-group: eunotus-complex (large for apistos, with higher, slightly serrated dorsal fin & often a double-tipped caudal) to resticulosa-complex (small, low & even dorsal, & round caudal)

pertensis-group: A. sp. Erdfresser/Eartheater & A. sp. Schwanzzipfel/Tail-point (moderately large with high dorsal and double/triple tipped or lance-shaped caudal) to A. meinkeni, A. sp. Balzfleck/Courting-spot & sp. Weißsaum/White-seam (tiny, low fins & round caudal)

brevis-group: A. personata & sp. Breitbinden (large with high, highly serrated dorsals & double-tipped caudals) to A. sp. Tequié (small, with low, even dorsal, & round caudal)

cacatuoides-group: A. cacatuoides (large with high, highly serrated dorsal spines & double-tipped caudals) to A. staecki (small with low, barely extended anterior spines & barely visible caudal tips.

nijsseni-group: payaminonis-complex (large with moderately high, serrated dorsal spines & slightly double-tipped caudals) to nijsseni-complex (many with low, even dorsal & round caudal)

agassizii-lineage: A. elizabethae-group (large with high, highly serrated dorsals & double-tipped caudals) to pulchra-complex (low, even dorsal and round caudal)

There are always exceptions, but I think you can see a general trend. In the nijsseni-complex there are species with high serrated dorsals (A. baenschi & A. sp. Harlequin/Harlekin) as well as some with double-tipped caudals (A. martini, & A. cf. martini Leirschwanz/Lyretail 1). These show more primitive features than the other members of the complex (A. nijsseni & A. panduro) which have more 'advanced' features. Therefore I consider A. baenschi a primitive member of the nijsseni-complex.