New little one!

[ToRif]

You may be correct, can you find some photos that show this difference you're talking about? I've seen pics of the light colored (almost purple) retros, but that's because of the tank environment, either bare bottom, white sand, etc.. or they were newly introduced and extremely stressed.

Here is one with lighter colors, but its on bare bottom too:
http://www.raubfische.net/wiki/index.php/Polypterusbestimmung

Of course i'm not sure if there are different subspecies but i think so. I also think that the bichir bichir complex is completely researched. There will always be new polys i think it's similar to the Channas (Well not that extreme)

But they are all great and retropinnis is one of the finest in my opinion!

 

[King-eL]

Here is one with lighter colors, but its on bare bottom too:
http://www.raubfische.net/wiki/index.php/Polypterusbestimmung

Of course i'm not sure if there are different subspecies but i think so. I also think that the bichir bichir complex is completely researched. There will always be new polys i think it's similar to the Channas (Well not that extreme)

But they are all great and retropinnis is one of the finest in my opinion!

Those pics are taken from CDM. CDM is also a member here in MFK.

Different regional variant changes the appearance of the species.

Just like the Nigerian lapradei looks very different from a Guinea lapradei, but they are still the same species. As well as many regional variant of p. endlicheri endlicheri. Some head shapes are very different and base color and patterns are aslo different.

The p. bichir bichir in the pic is not even a p. bichir bichir, but a Nigerian p. bichir lapradei. The p. palmas buettikoferi and p. palmas palmas in the pics are actually the opposite names. Tells me that site is not accurate.

 

[ToRif]

Different regional variant changes the appearance of the species.

Just like the Nigerian lapradei looks very different from a Guinea lapradei, but they are still the same species. As well as many regional variant of p. endlicheri endlicheri. Some head shapes are very different and base color and patterns are aslo different.

That's what i mean! Too many thinks about Polys are unsettled. My opinion is, that there will be more changes in taxonomy... Never mind though, i was just thinking loud

 

[King-eL]

That's what i mean! Too many thinks about Polys are unsettled. My opinion is, that there will be more changes in taxonomy... Never mind though, i was just thinking loud

We are not the one that decide to put scientific names on them, so we will only know if someone announce changes. Right now we just stick to the one that we know and been identified. The more changes the more people will get confuse, especially for the future bichir keepers.

Right now the debates are on the polypterus sp. "koliba", polypterus sp. "koloton", polypterus sp. "dabola" and the p. senegalus sp. If they are new species or sub-species from other bichir complex.

 

[ToRif]

We are not the one that decide to put scientific names on them

Of course not! That was noit what i was trying to do! Sorry if it seemed like that!

Right now we just stick to the one that we know and been identified.

No doubt!

The more changes the more people will get confuse, especially for the future bichir keepers.

Yes, an with all the hybrids it will be even more confusing!

Right now the debates are on the polypterus sp. "koliba", polypterus sp. "koloton", polypterus sp. "dabola" and the p. senegalus sp. If they are new species or sub-species from other bichir complex.

Yes and there is a possibility that this will happen to other species too.


Let's stop it here. We have actually the same opinion on that, maybe i was just not communicating it right...

(Might be beacuase of my English... It`s been a while since i had it in school)

 

[chloe]

wow serg hes gorgeous!

 

[Cohazard]

ToRif and King-eL, it's okay to question the currently scientifically accepted taxa of any species in the Polypterus genus.

That's one of the fundamental and beautiful elements of science, it has lots of room to grow and welcomes anyone to question it, through research and study. And you know what the first step is behind any scientific inquiry? HYPOTHESIS! An educated guess!

There are no biologists who are 'the deciders'; anyone who wants to study polypterus for their biology masters degree and beyond can, and if your research can prove there is a need for adjustment, then it will happen.

Just because the main focus is on lower jaw's, does not mean that the others are solidly described.

For example, Polypterus mokelembembe was only recently described in 2006 by Frank Schafer, and Ulrich Schliewen. They recognized that two of the three holotype specimens (specimens preserved and archived which are used to identify a species) were different from the third.

That third specimen was the true retropinnis. So by questioning what was then the accepted scientific classification, they found an error and made an improvement.

So anyone who questions what is currently out there, they have my full support to do research on the fish, collect specimens, count lateral line scales, etc...

ToRif, there are no big problems with your english. I understood you and Science is universal, so if you have a hunch, please push forward with your study, be sure to research the standard measurements used to classify polypterids, etc...

To get you started, check this out from Anne's primer:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=895729&postcount=4