1) S. aureum. This identification is correct. I have more pictures that we can add. This is the gracile sp limited to the upper Magdalena. Miles (1947), "Peces Del Rio Magdalena" uses the "sharpness" of the snout to distinguish S. panamense from S. aureum and, what was then, S. leightoni. "El hocico y las aletas muy agudos" he says of S. panamense. We would all agree that S. panamense (or what we call S. panamense) has a sharper or more pointed snout. Miles says that this is the "intermediary" sp between S. aureum and S. leightoni. I agree in the sense that it is more gracile in form than most Sturisoma and could almost be confused with as a Sturisomatichthys. Range should state, Rio Magdalena, upstream of Honda.
2) S. barbatum, I have no literature on this sp but the photos match other hobbyist sources and aquarium exports do come from Mato Grosso.
3) S. festivum. ID incorrect. I think we should use S. sp "long-fin" or something similar until this Amazonias sp is actually identified. Note: There are two pics by Ken Childs mixed in (bottom row, far left and far rigght) that are S. panamense.
Of interest, Welse Atlas 1 pg 476 has drawings of the holotype that well show the very extended pectoral fins. These are not present on the animals in the hobby.
4) S. nigrirostrum. Likely correct given the holotype location, which is a major aquarium fish exporting area, and dark snout.
5) S. panamense, the real stick in the mud. All of the pics, except Oliver's taken in Panama, match the info in the scientific literature. That said, all of the info I have is from Colombia. Have we all, hobby and science, misidentified this sp and Oliver's is the true S. panamense? Or did Oliver find an undescribed Panamanian Sturisoma?
I would stick with what we have and call Oliver's S. sp "Rio Ipeti, Panama" until we get some clarity.
Range should be Lower Magdalena, Rios San Juan and Patia, Colombia; Rios Bayano and Tuyra, Panama.
6) S. robustum
7) S sp. 1: Got me, nothing like it in the literature.
S. tenuirostre: Correct. I have additional pics that can be added.Under Sturisomaticthys we are missing S. sp "Rio Atabapo. I will send pics.
-Shane
