Elizabethae or Uapesi

[Judy Watson]

Hi,

I new to posting, but I've been reading this forum for awhile. I need your help. I've bee informed that the 2 fish I posted pictures of are not both elizabethae. I was told the fish in the first photo is a female elizabethae and the 2nd fish is a male uapesi. What do you think?

 

[Mike Wise]

The first fish is either a female or immature male A. elizabethae; the 2nd fish is a male A. uaupesi.

 

[Judy Watson]

Thank you for responding that's the ID I'm leaning toward. I just wanted to run this by the people on this forum because I respect the opinions here. Thanks again.

 

[Lacyfins]

Hi,

I new to posting, but I've been reading this forum for awhile. I need your help. I've bee informed that the 2 fish I posted pictures of are not both elizabethae. I was told the fish in the first photo is a female elizabethae and the 2nd fish is a male uapesi. What do you think?

There are two collection points for A.Elizabethae, the upstream one they do not have the red belly, thats what your second pic looks like a male of. First pic looks like the red belly males that come from near the mouth of the stream. Uaupesi looks very similar but has more color in the fins especially the tail.

 

[Frank Hättich]

There are two collection points for A.Elizabethae, the upstream one they do not have the red belly, thats what your second pic looks like a male of. First pic looks like the red belly males that come from near the mouth of the stream. Uaupesi looks very similar but has more color in the fins especially the tail.

The second fish is not A. elizabethae but, as Mike said, a male of some uaupesi-like species/form (which one can be said for sure only if the precise catch location would be known). A. elizabethae males have a lower and differently colored dorsal fin with serrated and extended anterior membranes and less pointed posterior soft part. Their caudal fin shows a different pattern and coloration too (usually consisting of radial stripes and/or larger dots, often some orange color in the lower part and sometimes a white submarginal stripe at the upper edge). Moreover as members of the agassizii-sublineage, A. elizabethae males show the agassizii-lip-spot that is missing in this fish.

 

[Mike Wise]

I will add to this. A. elizabethae occurs in 2 different main tributaries of the upper Rio Negro, the Rio Uaupes and Rio Icana. The 2 populations are easily separated. As far as I know all commercial imports of A. elizabethae are from the Rio Uaupes at the present. The last time I had the Icana population was about 20 years ago when Marco Lacerda still owned Trop Rio in Rio de Janeiro. I still miss the amazing apistos (and other species) he exported.