Laetacara flamannellus a new dwarf acara

[Mike Wise]

Rolo reported this on the ZBBF (German Dwarf Cichlid Forum) yesterday. I thought that I'd give us English speakers the 'heads up': http://www.vertebrate-zoology.de/vz62-2/03_Vertebrate_Zoology_62-2_Ottoni_et_al_181-188.pdf

Amazing! My 'L. curviceps' might be this species. I need to read the paper more carefully to be sure. Sadly, my pair (bought in 2005) are not breeding anymore.

 

[viejo]

After a cursory exam of the paper, my impression is that this 'new' species is a bit 'iffy' being based largely ( or mostly) on live coloration which can be influenced by a number of non'genetic factors.

 

[HaakonH]

Does this mean that Hudson's curviceps here is actually L.flamannellus?

http://passionate4pikes.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/latecara-photo-update/

Haakon

 

[gerald]

Agree with viejo, the paper's comparison with curviceps is too weak to be convincing. This could be a valid species, or just a yellower color form of curviceps. They don't say much about curviceps' color variability, geographic range, or whether these two "species" are isolated.

 

[Mike Wise]

After a cursory exam of the paper, my impression is that this 'new' species is a bit 'iffy' being based largely ( or mostly) on live coloration which can be influenced by a number of non'genetic factors.

There are also some internal structural differences. I guess with both there are sufficient to erect a new species. We need to see what the professionals think. Now I have to find my photos of Laetacara curviceps shipped from Surinam. I wonder if this is curviceps, flamannellus, or something completely different.

 

[Mike Wise]

Does this mean that Hudson's curviceps here is actually L.flamannellus?

http://passionate4pikes.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/latecara-photo-update/

Haakon

Externally, it looks like L. flamannellus. Do we know where this fish was collected?

 

[Mike Wise]

Agree with viejo, the paper's comparison with curviceps is too weak to be convincing. This could be a valid species, or just a yellower color form of curviceps. They don't say much about curviceps' color variability, geographic range, or whether these two "species" are isolated.

L. flamannellus is only reported from the state of Amapá, Brazil, on the east coast north of the mouth of the Amazon. Right now, L. curviceps occurs only on the south side of the lower Amazon. In their redescription of L. curviceps [See: Ottoni, F.P.; Mattos, J.L.O. & Schindler, I. (2009): Re-description of Laetacara curviceps (Teleostei: Cichlidae: Cichlinae). Vertebrate Zoology, 59(2): 123 – 129. (http://www.vertebrate-zoology.de/vz59-2/01_Vertebrate_Zoology_59-2_Ottoni.pdf)] the authors were a bit vague, just listing, "Distribution. South America: Amazon, in lower portions
of tributaries of the Amazon river drainage in Brazil." I think the authors listed it this way because they thought that they had a different species (L. flamannellus) but either weren't positive or not ready to let others know before they published.

 

[Gwendal]

Nice info, thanks Mike!







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