Confusion over Vieja Synspilum vs Vieja Melanurum

[eyespot]

I thought it had been established that synspilum were now now officially melanurum but while checking out stock lists I noticed one well-respected and reputable distributor had synspilum AND melanurum for sale. The synspilum are from Belize. It might be completely coincidental but I've owned several males over that past 30 years or so and the ones I used to purchase as synspilum grew large quickly and developed huge nuchal humps while the last two males I purchased as melanurum grew extremely slowly and smaller without much of a nuchal hump at all (they were sexed by Rapps at TUIC where I've bought the vast majority of my cichlids since he was in business). It's possible the last two were sexed incorrectly but they both had blue eyes and were much more tolerant of female cichlids so I don't think that was the case. I would ask the distributor directly but I don't like bothering vendors with questions when I don't plan on making a purchase. Thanks in advance for any help and clarification.

 

[duanes]

Although both have the same genetic (DNA) identity, they are quite different in looks as location variants from each other, and distributers may be using the old name (synspillum) to indicate that location/color difference.
If someone wants the more blue and red varient, using the old term synspillum may be an easy way to indicate that distinction, and allow that choice, to give the customer what they want.
If someone wants the more mustard colored (yellow and black) variant, using the term that most everyone understands for it, might be the way to go to get that fish, AKA in the past, melanurum.

 

[eyespot]

Although both have the same genetic (DNA) identity, they are quite different in looks as location variants from each other, and distributers may be using the old name (synspillum) to indicate that location/color difference.
If someone wants the more blue and red varient, using the old term synspillum may be an easy way to indicate that distinction, and allow that choice, to give the customer what they want.
If someone wants the more mustard colored (yellow and black) variant, using the term that most everyone understands for it, might be the way to go to get that fish, AKA in the past, melanurum.

Thanks a lot! That's helpful info to know in my quest for another synspilum. Definitely prefer the red and blue varieties. It's a shame this particular distributor has 100 dollar minimum order.

 

[Milingu]

By the way the only correct spelling is melanurus. Melanurus = black tail. It is a noun and not declinable. So no matter what genus it gets put in, the ending will not change.

 

[newworld]

Melanurus = orange/black and slender
Synspilum= red/blue and wide

For the most part...

 

[suckerfish]

Thanks a lot! That's helpful info to know in my quest for another synspilum. Definitely prefer the red and blue varieties. It's a shame this particular distributor has 100 dollar minimum order.

There’s someone selling really nice blue variant in the buy/sell. I forgot how to link it here!