New Apistos from WWF (CNN)

[Linus_Cello]

The other day, CNN had a story on WWF (World Wildlife Fund) discovering new species (since 2010), including 2 dwarf cichlids:

www.cnn.com/2013/10/25/world/americas/amazon-species-discovered/index.html?iref=allsearch

Picture 2 shows A. cinilabra; picture 6 shows Dicrossus warzeli. From the WWF link, it appears these dwarf cichlid discoveries can be attributed to Romer et al. Anyone have any more helpful info to add?

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, neither fish is new in the hobby. A. cinilabra originally appeared in the hobby from Ornamental Fish Aquarium as A. sp. 2000-1. In 2002 Koslowski discussed it as A. sp. Schwarzbrust. It is not endangered, contrary to what is written in the original description. TomC & I collected this fish in several steam + the type location just north of Nauta, Peru in 2008 and a similar form, with no caudal stripes, in 2012.

D. warzeli isn't new either. It was discussed by by Kullander as D. sp. A in his revision of the genus Dicrossus/Crenicara and by several other hobbyists since the early 90s as D. sp. Tapajos. Frank Warzel first imported the species in 1992. I don't understand where the WWF got the idea that this species occurs in Colombia. It only occurs in the lower/middle Rio Tapajós of Brazil.

I wonder how 'off' information about the other species on the site might be. I think that this is a case of 'a little information is a dangerous thing'.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Well, we know how reliable general new websites can be... but what's interesting here is it's linked to WWF's site which lists the scientists linked to the discovery/publication (again, Romer et al.) who would presumably be familiar with Warzel and Kosolowski?

 

[Mike Wise]

The site references the authors of the original scientific descriptions that give them their scientific names. These are not the first discussions of the each species - not even in scientific papers.