A. sp. Papagei/Morado/Pebas

[peterK]

Hi
What are main differences between those Apistos?
They appear to me they are the same species...but what is your opinion?
And could you show me the whole group which contains those species?
Piotr>>>

 

[Mike Wise]

A. sp. Pebas, and its color morph A. sp. Morado, is probably a different species from A. sp. Papagei. To my knowledge none of the Pebas forms have been collected with Papagei.

The feature that best separates A. sp. Pebas from A. sp. Parrot/Papagei is the shape of the caudal patch - the marking on the caudal peduncle that is formed from the caudal spot & part of Bar 7. On A. sp. Pebas this caudal patch forms a tear drop shape (with the pointed tip of the drop pointing toward the head) that joins the lateral band. Some even have a patch that is separate from the lateral band. Females in brood dress have 4-5 lateral spots along the posterior half of the flanks formed from the lateral band. Abdominal stripes on males are usually invisible or very poorly marked.

A. sp. Papagei has a Bar 7 that is joined to the caudal spot by a narrow band. It forms an '∞' shape. Females in brood dress show only 2-3 lateral spots along the lateral band on the front half of the flanks (other than the caudal patch, of course). Abdominal stripes are usually more distinct and continuous.

There are at least 2 different color morphos of A. sp. Papagei (A 91 & A 92), but A. sp. Pebas (A 87) has several morphs, each sold under a differnt name: Ampiyacu (A 86), Morado (A 89), Noronha (A 88).