What is this apisto?

[tjudy]

I know what it is not... it is not what was supposed to be sent. I do know that this fish was collected in Peru, in the border area with Equador. I am waiting on confirmation of the river system... if the exporter knows.

young male

Older male

female

 

[Frank Hättich]

looks like A. cf. ortegai (Pebas) to me

 

[Mike Wise]

Yes, it looks like a species in the Pebas/Ortegai-subcomplex of the eunotus-complex (at least the female does). If true, then it's highly unlikely that it occurs anywhere near Ecuador. The Pebas/ortegai-subcomplex is replaced by the cruzi-subcomplex in the upper Rio Napo and doesn't exist (as far is now known) anywhere else along the Peru/Ecuador border.

 

[tjudy]

Albertini got back to me and said this fish was collected in 'ampiacus'. Is that the same as Ampiyacu?

 

[Frank Hättich]

Ampiyacu would fit perfectly to A. (cf.) ortegai

 

[Mike Wise]

My guess is that Albertino means the Ampiyacu. This river has 3 eunotus-complex species: A. ortegai (=Papagei), A. cf. ortegai (Pebas), and A. sp. Putumayo (a cruzi-subcomplex species). These species are still mixed together by the collector/exporter, often sold as "A. sp. Galaxis". In the bottom photo, the female is definitely a A. cf. ortegai (Pebas). The male in the 2 top photos probably are the same species, but can't be positive. They don't show enough of their dark marking to be sure. The fish behind the female, however, looks more like a cruzi-subcomplex species.