New Polypterus described - P. mokelembembe

[beblondie]

Just had to bring this up huh? lol

 

[Infblue]

Just had to bring this up huh? lol

let the confusion spreads lol

 

[mcblack]

really confusing lol

 

[Fruitbat]

Not TOO confusing, actually.

It turns out that the original description of Polypterus retropinnis was based on multiple specimens (and more than one species). The first formal illustration of P. retropinnis in print is actually a picture of what we've been calling Polypterus sp. 'Congo' or the 'Zaire Green'. Because of a number of taxonomic niceties, Schliewen and Schafer chose to use the first illustrated fish as the type for P. retropinnis.

What it all boils down to is that the fish we've all known as Polypterus retropinnis (with the large, indistinct lateral blotches) is actually the newly-described Polypterus mokelembembe and the fish that we've been calling the 'Zaire Green' is the 'true' Polypterus retropinnis.

-Joe

 

[dark_aLLeY]

Not TOO confusing, actually.

It turns out that the original description of Polypterus retropinnis was based on multiple specimens (and more than one species). The first formal illustration of P. retropinnis in print is actually a picture of what we've been calling Polypterus sp. 'Congo' or the 'Zaire Green'. Because of a number of taxonomic niceties, Schliewen and Schafer chose to use the first illustrated fish as the type for P. retropinnis.

What it all boils down to is that the fish we've all known as Polypterus retropinnis (with the large, indistinct lateral blotches) is actually the newly-described Polypterus mokelembembe and the fish that we've been calling the 'Zaire Green' is the 'true' Polypterus retropinnis.

-Joe

Agrees