I.D. My Geos

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fattubwhale

fattubwhale

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 25, 2011
441
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46
Twin Cities, MN
I recently acquired a group of 6 “Geo. Megasema's” that i bought on the fly for dirt cheap . The previous owner didn’t have any info on them other than they were purchased from a local LFS. I am only question them because of the weak lateral spots (only the females have the spots) that they have, all pics that I found of Megasema show larger spots and color. All the research I've done so far points to the direction as possible "Geophagus spec. Aeroes", "Geophagus abalios" and Geophagus sp. Venezuela... would like to know what you guys think.

sorry for the quility of the Pics they are off of my phone i will also try to get some better pics with the camera

Thanks for looking
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Geos.jpg

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2012-04-11222307.jpg
 
Yeah, I don't think they're megasema because they should have a large midlateral spot (that's what the species name refers to). I'm curious about the females having the midlateral spots. Do you know they are confirmed females?
 
ryansmith83 said:
Yeah, I don't think they're megasema because they should have a large midlateral spot (that's what the species name refers to). I'm curious about the females having the midlateral spots. Do you know they are confirmed females?
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That was my quess also! There is actually 2 Males and 3 females and he did say the larger male and one of the female did produce for him "so he says" ill beleive it when it happens!
 
They look very much like G. abalios to me...

Here is some description from Hernán López-Fernández's dissertation, who officially described G. abalios and two other Geophagus species with Donald. C. Taphorn in 2004 (Zootaxa 439: 1–27):

"The lack of head markings distinguishes G. abalios n. sp. (Figures 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4) from Geophagus grammepareius, G. taeniopareius, G. harreri and G. argyrostictus, which have a complete infraorbital stripe, and from G. dicrozoster n. sp., G. winemilleri n. sp., G. brachybranchus and G. proximus, which have a black preopercular marking. Preserved specimens of Geophagus abalios can be distinguished from all other Geophagus species without head markings except G. brokopondo by the possession of six vertical, parallel bars on the flank (Figures 2.1 and 2.2); it can be distinguished from G. brokopondo by the anterior three bars, which are medially bisected by a clearer area, giving the impression of two thinner bars, whereas in the latter species all bars are solid; additionally, the sixth bar in G. abalios is elongate and restricted to the dorsal half of the caudal peduncle, above the lower lateral line, and in G. brokopondo the line covers the entire caudal peduncle (Figures 2.2b and 2.2d)."

Thomas Weidner wrote a nice article in 2008 called "Geophagus abalios is not always Geophagus abalios" to document some of the phenotypic variations.
 
abarilot said:
Nice Ctenopoma acutirostre! As for the Geo ID I think it'll be a bit easier once they get a bit bigger
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He wanted in on the photo :)

dogofwar said:
Not megasema...or what was being sold some time ago as megasema (which is now being called "Tapajos II")...
Matt
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From all i been reading up on they are being sold as Tapajos II
But these guys sure dont look like Megasema....
 
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