Special Hypancistrus sp. "Zebra"

[Unungy]

Hi Guys.

Just wanted to share a few shots of one special zebra. I just moved some fish on the weekend from my growing tank to their new home.

[Unungy]

More pics

Would you say that his eye is brown or white?

[Jools]

Brownish. So, what's the history of this fish? What is special?

Cheers

Jools

[Unungy]

The marking on the zebra is different - it doesn't have straight lines like any other zebra.
It even has 3 dots in his body - it seems to be a male.

[apistomaster]

As consistently marked as most Zebras are I think this fish is a good example of natural variation. A certain number per 1000 or more must exhibit such variations.
Nature is always producing examples that deviate from the norm.

[mistern2005]

In my recent zebra pleco broods, I have had some interesting variations appear as the fry mature. I kept one that had a "broken stripe", literally the black had a significant gap towards the tail end of the fish. I've also noticed one juvenile with wavy lines similar to yours. One of my adult males also has a stripe that is conjoined with another stripe, however this feature developed sometime after about 2 years of age, as his juvenile pictures do not show this feature at all. So, apparently their lines and patterns are dynamic to some degree.

[HaakonH]

Here's a nice one from my group:



-Haakon

[Unungy]

Nice one Haakon.

[Jools]

Wow, that's almost an @ symbol! If you wish, email me the pic and I will add to the site?


Jools

[corybrummie2010]

Wow! stunning fish Haakon

[dconnors]

The thing that really catches my eye in Unungy's photos is that the stripes on the caudal fin go vertically and not horizontally. Very reminiscent of a 333 or 66...

[Acanthicus]

The thing that really catches my eye in Unungy's photos is that the stripes on the caudal fin go vertically and not horizontally.

That was exactly my first thought and the form of the caudal fin is nontypical for H. zebra, this one has pretty much the form of a sickle (right word?) and in my opinion the body is longer as well.

Do you keep your H. zebra alone or mixed with other Hyps?

[Unungy]

This picture in the catalog is very similar.
There are others as well, Plus the fact that the eye is brown. Please note that I still think it's an special zebra.

Hypancistrus sp(l173)

[apistomaster]

My opinion is that L173 is merely a natural variation of H. zebra.
I think the fact that similarly marked fish occasionally show up in H. zebra spawns is good supporting evidence for my opinion.

[exasperatus2002]

Need to rob bank...hit lotto.... find drug dealers money drop.... I need a dozen of them really bad & cant afford one. lol till then I'll live vicariously thru these pics. Keep em coming.

[Janne]

My opinion is that L173 is merely a natural variation of H. zebra.
I think the fact that similarly marked fish occasionally show up in H. zebra spawns is good supporting evidence for my opinion.

I don't agree with this, there will not occur any brown eyes H. zebra fry from 2 H. zebra but the pattern can be different. L173 is not the same as H. zebra how close related they even may be with each other, if this would hold true we would find them at the same location which we don't do.

Janne

[apistomaster]

Hi Janne,
Are there any natural barriers or great distances between where the two forms are found?
It appears to me that they are very closely related but an isolated population could develop along different lines.
Has anyone ever done any taxonomic work to see if the two forms have morphological differences? If anyone has any preserved specimens of L173 I have some preserved specimens of wild H. zebra I would contribute to the cause.