Reclassification of fish

[Jakob]

Classification of fish can be a tricky thing, that's for sure, and we can see that by the ever changing names of fish, I find it mainly to be cichlids, as families of cichlids can be quite similar.

I am curious to know who decides weather a fish should be reclassified as a species?
The reclassification of many cichlids for example is based on studies of the species involved, but it probably has to go through some sort of board or something where researchers present their work and why the species should be decided?

Can someone shed a light on how the process of reclassification of different types of fish is put into action?

 

[MyGiants]

I think when they discover that there differences within one species when once thought they were all the same fish. So they have to name the new sub-species. Usually the discoverer gets to name it and sometimes they name it after themself.
I'm not sure there is an official process. I think anyone who can show proof that there is a distinct difference between two fish can reclassify it. Whether everyone wants to accepts it and puts it into print. Not all reclassifications are accepted by everyone now. A lot of fish still go by there original names until enough people start to use the new name then its accepted. This is just my personal opinion.

 

[duanes]

Lately DNA sequencing has been able to show relationships that either are closer or farther than once thought.
In the past fin ray counts, dentition and outward appearance were determiners in where a certain species should belong, but with DNA technology species can be traced back to original ancestry in a way not possible in the past.