bichir palma question

[Yell0r0b]

hey, i was wondering if anyone knows the differences in the palma species? between the palma palma, palma polli, palma butterforeki. pics would be nice.
thx!!

 

[Dozer0011]

bichir spicies at fishbase

You can read up on morphological differences at the link. There's a nice picture there of the palmas palmas. Here's a pic of my buttikoferi (foreground) and polli.

 

[Fruitbat]

The taxonomy of the Polypterus palmas complex is in a bit of a mess right now but you're right in that there are three recognized (currently) subspecies. Polypterus palmas buettikoferi and Polypterus palmas palmas are very hard to tell apart without specific collecting data but Polypterus palmas polli is pretty easy.

Here are some pictures:

This is probably Polypterus palmas palmas:

I'm reasonably positive that this is Polypterus palmas buettikoferi:

And I'm absolutely positive that this is Polypterus palmas polli:

-Joe

 

[Yell0r0b]

thx, very helpgful, so baiscally the buettikoferi has more yellow to it??

 

[Infblue]

thx, very helpgful, so baiscally the buettikoferi has more yellow to it??

generally speaking that'd be true between buettikoferi and polli. between buettikoferi and palmas palmas its harder to say.

 

[rasdbo]

buett has yellow dots with light yellow fins and polli's have the green tint with green fins but the palmas palmas looks light grey.

 

[Infblue]

buett has yellow dots with light yellow fins and polli's have the green tint with green fins but the palmas palmas looks light grey.

agree, except i don't think the palmas palmas part is necessarily true. we still don't know whats a palmas palmas for sure.