Green Terror or what?

[cookiemonster]

apparently, the Gold Saum, Silver Saum, and Green Terror are all geographical variations of the same species (Aequidens rivulatus). There is ongoing debate as to whether or not they are actually the same species, or three seperate species under the same genus.

don't worry about all that, though. you have a Green Terror; more specifically a Gold Saum variety of a Green Terror.

Gold Saums are the most common, Silver Saums less common, and True Green Terrors are quite rare.

No, they are different species; Aequidens rivulatus/silbersaum (true green terrors, silver is spelled with a "b" on purpose), A. sp. "gold saum" (gold saum, common green terror), and A. sp. "silver saum" (silver saum, common green terror with silver edged fins.)

 

[pcfriedrich]

No, they are different species; Aequidens rivulatus/silbersaum (true green terrors, silver is spelled with a "b" on purpose), A. sp. "gold saum" (gold saum, common green terror), and A. sp. "silver saum" (silver saum, common green terror with silver edged fins.)

I believe that is still up for debate. the "b" in silbersaum is spelled with a "B" because its german. the "saum" translates to edge, or border, referring to the edge of the fins.

its a similar situation to the western cougar and the florida panther. very similar cats, almost impossible to tell the difference. it was up for debate for decades as to whether they were different species, or just geographical variations of the same species. with the panther, It was finally concluded that they are two sub-species of the same species.

if the fish were officially recognized as seperate species, you wouldn't see a picture of a gold saum every time you tried to research Aequidens rivulatis. You also wouldn't see the species Aequidens rivulatis every time you researched all three (gold saum, silver saum, and green terror).

might be official in your book, but not the science book.

it looks like what you are describing are sub-species, anyway. the "rivulatis" would need to be totally done away with if the saums are seperate species. there may be 3 subspecies, but "rivulatis" is the species.

 

[pcfriedrich]

Homo sapiens is another, more familiar example. Homo sapiens is the species, but there are many different geographical variations of this species. its not politically correct, but there is Homo sapiens/mongoloid, Homo sapiens/caucasoid, Homo sapiens/negroid...

they are all the same species, though.

 

[TrikkyMakk]

Definitely a gold saum and looks like a female.

 

[Mad About Cichlids]

Goldsaum and Silversaum might be subspecies but the GT that was originally described back in the days is a totally different fish.


They all do belong in the Aequidens family though

 

[pcfriedrich]

they are all Aequidens rivulatus, right? therefore, they are the same species. the true GT may have been discovered or described first, but until the saums are designated with a species name other than rivalutus they are all, scientifically speaking, the same species.

just like cougars, pumas and panthers. they are all three subspecies of the species Puma concolor. they are essentially the same species, but given different common names based on their geographical location and slight variations in their physical anatomy.

 

[japes]

Gold Saum. Commonly referred to as a Green Terror.

Aequidens rivulatus

It's a Gold Saum yes, but it's an Aequidens sp. 'Gold Saum'. Aequidens rivulatus is a completely different species and this has been covered numerous times in other threads. Body and fin patterns are completely different between the two species and they aren't simply different varieties.

Edit: Trying to find threads.

Just for clarification with what I'm saying.

Aequidens sp. 'Gold Saum' is the fish pictured in the OP.
Aequidens sp. 'Silver Saum' or 'White Saum' is a white tipped variant.
Aequidens rivulatus is simply Aequidens rivulatus.
Aequidens sp. 'Silbersaum' is the true "Green Terror". These fish have inverted scale patterns (when compared to Gold Saums) and white tipped dorsal and caudal linings.

 

[pcfriedrich]

species is always classified in latin. so what is the species name of the gold saum? silver saum? if its not latin, it hasn't been scientifically classified as a distinctly seperate species. they are subspecies. they are all Aequidens rivulatus. same species. Maybe it is truly Aequidens rivulatus rivulatus (true green terror), Aequidens rivulatus whatever latin is for gold saum (gold saum), and Aequidens rivulatus whatever latin is for silver saum (silver saum). That is what it seems to be, but there hasn't been an official taxonomic classification for the subspecies yet, as far as I can find.

they are all Aequidens rivulatus. it just gets more specific than that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subspecies

I actually believe that the TGT and the Saums probably are distinctly seperate species, but until the scientific community comes up with a taxonomic classification for the saums, they are officially the same species. the next question would be: are silver saums and gold saums distinctly different species, or two subspecies of a specific classification that hasn't even been named yet? we'll find out, eventually.

 

[japes]

http://www.thewatersnake.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=525&view=findpost&p=16751

I think that comparing two different species that have the same (and incorrect) common name and saying they're the same species is a little broad. Any experienced SA fish keeper can easily pick a true GT from a Gold Saum.

 

[MyAquariumFiish]

It's definetly not a green terror