real leopardus ( not L114 )

kgroenhoej · Post by **kgroenhoej** » 26 Jan 2003, 22:45

I'm confused:

This site says that this fish is the real Pseudacanthicus leopardus (not L114):
Pseud. leopardus

any comments?

-Klaus

Charly EON · Post by **Charly EON** » 26 Jan 2003, 23:21

Hello

Ps. leopardus was originally described from British Guyana or Suriname. Perhaps they call this fish the true leopardus because it does not come from Rio Negro as L114 does

Mfg

Charly

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 26 Jan 2003, 23:42

Hi!

Well L114 is occuring in the Rio Negro and like said Charly the holotype from Pseudacanthicus leopardus comes from Guyana and Surinam!
Until a scientific study will see how close the population are L114 should only be call Pseudacanthicus cf leopardus
Cheers
yann

Post by **Silurus** » 26 Jan 2003, 23:45

On looking at the figure in the original description of P. leopardus (Fowler, 1914; can email it to anyone interested), it seems that the color pattern of P. leopardus is closer to that of L114, but the dorsal spine sems very much longer than those in any pictures of L114 I have seen.
So maybe both L114 and the "real" P. leopardus both aren't P. leopardus.

TKP · Post by **TKP** » 28 Jan 2003, 15:50

I just discuss this topic at Taiwan fish forum 20 days before.
http://www.ttf.com.tw/discuss/3rde23/sh ... number=883
we find that there are four kind of P. leopardus:
1, normal L114
( photo from Pineapple clubhttp://keruzou.hp.infoseek.co.jp/pineapple/p4.html )

2, L600 the dot pattern on the head is smaller than normal L114
( photo from Pineapple clubhttp://keruzou.hp.infoseek.co.jp/pineapple/p4.html )

3,Pseudacanthicus sp. similar to both P. leopardus & L273
( photo from PlanetCatfish http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/lo ... /912_f.htm )

4,real Pseudacanthicus leopardus (not L 114) no any dot pattern on the head.
( photo from rva.ne.jp http://www.rva.ne.jp/gallary2/pleco/s_orange_fin.htm

Post by **Silurus** » 28 Jan 2003, 16:28

The picture in the original description shows a fish with a pattern of medium-sized spots on the head and a reticulated pattern on the body (kind of like in photo 1, except that the spots coalesce into reticulations). The dorsal and anal fins also have this reticulated pattern, and the pelvic fins have this pattern modified into a series of dark bands. The pattern on the body extends into the middle part of the caudal fin.
In short, the color pattern of the fish in Photo 1 matches most closely Pseudacanthicus leopardus as originally described, only not so spotty about the body and with smaller spots on the head.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 28 Jan 2003, 20:33

Hi!

I doubt sincerely that another fish that belong to the same genus and has almost the same colouration could occur sympatric along with the real Pseudacanthicus leopardus. Loricariids has shown that some genus and species are very variable in colour pattern. it could be possible that Fowler use one of these "abberation" to describe that species!
Cheers
Yann

Post by **Silurus** » 28 Jan 2003, 20:44

The only problem is that none of what is referred to as P. leopardus in the aquarium trade is actually sympatric with the real leopardus, unless some of these fish actually come from Surinam/Guyana.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 28 Jan 2003, 21:24

Hi!
Well some people/Ichtyolog have been there not too long ago in the specific region and have come back with the real leopradus, and he is not looking very different from the one coming from the Rio Negro!
The problem would be now to see how close or far is the Rio Negro system population from the population of Guyana/ Suriname!
Cheers
Yann