Maybe some of the readers like to keep up with name changes as they apply to the fish we keep.
Because the 'green terror' or 'gold suam' is so very popular (for just reasons too) in the aquarium trade, this re-revision is of significance for those of us who like to (or in my case - need to know) by which name to correctly refer to and accurately market a specific fish.
Below is a link to an article that contains information from an extract of a masters thesis published by one of the authors (N.W.) at Stockholm University under the guidance of Sven Kullander.
This article appeared in the scientific journal 'Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters' in October of 2012.
http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief23_2_05.pdf
I will keep my comments short and to the point because we have a great treat to look forward to coming out in the January issue of Cichlid News Magazine!
My good friend and cichlid geek colleague extraordinaire, Wayne Leibel, has written an excellent summary of the above findings. He includes color photos and further remarks from the world's foremost acara collector - Alf Stalsberg.
Some may recall that in 2009 the Peruvian 'green terror' was formally described as Andinoacara (which translates to 'Andes acara') stalsbergi - in recognition of Alf's remarkable achievements to the collection and understanding of the acara cichlids, not to mention his keen observations of species variations in the wild with further discoveries noted from aquarium maintenance and breeding of many species.
In the above featured article, the beloved 'green terror' or 'gold suam' of Ecuador is redefined to, again, Andinoacara (formerly Aequidens, but that's old news) rivulatus.
So green terror = A. rivulatus
A. aequinoctialis, which is what we've been calling the 'green terror', is recognized as a junior synonym of rivulatus.
A. rivulatus is the fish occurring mainly within the Guayas River drainages of Ecuador and also noted in a few other more southern Ecuador rivers that flow through northern Peru before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.
This includes the white or silver edge finned color morph as well. I think most of us knew that already, but worthy of mention nonetheless.
View attachment 965784
As you may have guessed, I need to revise the names on my photos now...
We used to call the Peru 'green terror', the fish now known as A. stalsbergi, by the name 'real rivulatus'.
Then we were to have considered ourselves updated in 2009 when A. stalsbergi was described.
View attachment 965791
As you can see, I've taken photos over the years that were labeled as per the 'currently accepted name' which, as we know, has changed in recent years.
OK. But there is still this other 'green terror' cichlid in northern Ecuador, geographically separated from A. rivulatus (allopatric speciation) by a drainage divide that causes rivers to the south to flow in the direction of the Guayas River basin, and rivers to the north to flow into the Esmeraldas River basin of northern Ecuador.
Perhaps, then, this northern occurring fish was the 'real rivulatus', or so some of us called it in most recent years. Until now that is.
This species, for which I have no photos of my own to share-sorry, has been formally described as Andinoacara blombergi.
Thoroughly confused or interested to learn more?
Stay tuned for the next quarterly edition of Cichlid News to come out in January.
They can be found at www.cichlidnews.com
Because the 'green terror' or 'gold suam' is so very popular (for just reasons too) in the aquarium trade, this re-revision is of significance for those of us who like to (or in my case - need to know) by which name to correctly refer to and accurately market a specific fish.
Below is a link to an article that contains information from an extract of a masters thesis published by one of the authors (N.W.) at Stockholm University under the guidance of Sven Kullander.
This article appeared in the scientific journal 'Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters' in October of 2012.
http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief23_2_05.pdf
I will keep my comments short and to the point because we have a great treat to look forward to coming out in the January issue of Cichlid News Magazine!
My good friend and cichlid geek colleague extraordinaire, Wayne Leibel, has written an excellent summary of the above findings. He includes color photos and further remarks from the world's foremost acara collector - Alf Stalsberg.
Some may recall that in 2009 the Peruvian 'green terror' was formally described as Andinoacara (which translates to 'Andes acara') stalsbergi - in recognition of Alf's remarkable achievements to the collection and understanding of the acara cichlids, not to mention his keen observations of species variations in the wild with further discoveries noted from aquarium maintenance and breeding of many species.
In the above featured article, the beloved 'green terror' or 'gold suam' of Ecuador is redefined to, again, Andinoacara (formerly Aequidens, but that's old news) rivulatus.
So green terror = A. rivulatus
A. aequinoctialis, which is what we've been calling the 'green terror', is recognized as a junior synonym of rivulatus.
A. rivulatus is the fish occurring mainly within the Guayas River drainages of Ecuador and also noted in a few other more southern Ecuador rivers that flow through northern Peru before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.
This includes the white or silver edge finned color morph as well. I think most of us knew that already, but worthy of mention nonetheless.
View attachment 965784
As you may have guessed, I need to revise the names on my photos now...
We used to call the Peru 'green terror', the fish now known as A. stalsbergi, by the name 'real rivulatus'.
Then we were to have considered ourselves updated in 2009 when A. stalsbergi was described.
View attachment 965791
As you can see, I've taken photos over the years that were labeled as per the 'currently accepted name' which, as we know, has changed in recent years.
OK. But there is still this other 'green terror' cichlid in northern Ecuador, geographically separated from A. rivulatus (allopatric speciation) by a drainage divide that causes rivers to the south to flow in the direction of the Guayas River basin, and rivers to the north to flow into the Esmeraldas River basin of northern Ecuador.
Perhaps, then, this northern occurring fish was the 'real rivulatus', or so some of us called it in most recent years. Until now that is.
This species, for which I have no photos of my own to share-sorry, has been formally described as Andinoacara blombergi.
Thoroughly confused or interested to learn more?
Stay tuned for the next quarterly edition of Cichlid News to come out in January.
They can be found at www.cichlidnews.com
