NEWS104
3
AquariumBristlenose,albino.
t present 64 species are scientifically
recognized in the genus
Ancistrus
,
but well over 100 have been originally
described as
Ancistrus
.To thepresent day
the majority of species are known only
from preserved specimens that normally
no longer exhibitmuch if any patterning.
Hence the identification of
Ancistrus
is
virtually impossible, even for specialists,
without informationon their provenance.
For this reason a comprehensive revision
of thegenus isurgently required,but such
aworkwould takeyearsor evendecades.
According to the most recent review, by
S
EIDEL
& E
VERS
, at least 93
Ancistrus
species
are known in the hobby, but only 20 can
also be assigned to described species.
From this it can be estimated that the
actual number of
Ancistrus
species in
existencemay well be significantly more
than 300, as only comparatively few
regions in South America have to date
been traveledby aquarists and collecting
for the trade likewise always takes place
in the same, relatively small areas.
Ubiquitousbut undescribed
The Bristlenose Catfish was labeled
Ancistrus dolichopterus
in practically all
books, magazines, etc published before
2005. And even today inattentive editors
sometimes let this slip past. But it is now
generally known that our aquarium
Bristlenose doesn’t belong to the species
Ancistrus dolichopterus
, but represents
either a cross that cannot be given a
scientific name (crosses or hybrids, or
bastards as they are sometimes termed,
A
Can there be anyone who isn’t familiar with the
Ancistrus
species usually
known simply as “the” Bristlenose Catfish? The dainty youngsters look very
attractive,whileadultmaleswith thestrange“tentacles”on theirheadshavea
verybizarreappearance.Thespeciesoccurs invariouscultivated forms,namely
albino (whitewith red eyes), lutino (yellowwith black eyes), checkered, and
long-finned. It has become a real householdpet.But this and similar species
representahugepuzzle forscientists.
Puzzlingbristlenosecatfishes
byKlausDiehl
are given names only in botanical
nomenclature, while the rules of
zoological nomenclature forbid the
giving of scientific names to such
animals),or anasyetunidentified species.
Ancistrus dolichopterus
is a quite different
fish that is known by the L-number L183
in the hobby and has often also been
termed
Ancistrus hoplogenys
. But this
name too (
A. hoplogenys
) is used
incorrectly, as it is now believed that in
reality the catfish L59 is
A.hoplogenys
. So
L-numbers
Ancistrus
sp.L144, thenewly importedwild-caught specimen. All photos:F.Schäfer
Normal formof L144, theParaguayBristlenoseCatfish
Ancistruspirareta
