Taxonomical Study invalidates PBL, PPB, and PSM; renames PBB group to just PB

Yaponchik

Candiru
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Jan 26, 2019
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Hey guys,

Thanks to Earl P. for sharing this study to the polypterid hobbyist groups.

Thank to Josh P. for quickly summarizing the contents of this 96 page study.

To quote Josh:

Lapradei, Buettikoferi & Meridionales NO LONGER VALID.

As of the most recent study into their taxonomy, Polypterus bichir lapradei, Polypterus palmas buettikoferi and Polypterus senegalus meridionales are no longer valid.

They have been recognised as synonyms/variations of their prototypical species and not subspecies. They're closely enough related to be the same species, but not distant enough to be considered subspecies anymore.

• Polypterus palmas palmas and Polypterus palmas buettikoferi are both now called Polypterus palmas.
• Polypterus bichir bichir (PBB) and Polypterus bichir lapradei (PBL) are now both just called Polypterus bichir.
• Polypterus senegalus senegalus and Polypterus senegalus meridionales are both now called Polypterus senegalus.
Since these complexes have been disbanded, there is no need for the prototypical species to have the double in the name anymore.
Link to the study
 

Hendre

Bawitius
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I read this study is incomplete, no DNA was shown in the study and even eatl and josh mentioned that they feel somewhat it was a lazy approach to just combine the species into one.
Then that is super lazy. Maybe when I go to uni y'all must post me samples :p
 

Hendre

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For fish such as Polypterus genetic analysis would be critical. I can't believe that they posted something without it...
 

Polyaddict86

Alligator Gar
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May 1, 2016
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Funny thing to me is that they did a study on taxonomy but didnt even do a DNA test. They claimed that they had 148 specimen and they did dorsla fin counts and other stuff and decided that pbl, pbb and western lap are all the same polypterus bichir/PB, but they are unsure why the coloration are different.

To us hobbist we can tell that pbl and pbb are way different from western lap which are koliba,koloton and faranah lap.
 
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Yaponchik

Candiru
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Jan 26, 2019
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I would say that the study is indeed, lazy, but I can hardly haul ass out of my chair, let alone spend some time researching, studying, and analyzing fish without any sort of financial compensation.

I am of the opinion that, unless we step a foot forward or contribute towards funding a more in depth study, then let's not be too quick to bash.

I did find a clause in the P. Bichir section, p.23 - where they say
Occurrences of P. bichir in Lake Turkana (e. g. Pellegrin, 1914; Holly, 1933; Poll, 1941a; Reitzer et al., 1972; Gosse, 1990; Seegers et al., 2003) and Ouémé River basin (Gosse, 1990) are questionable, as they are not supported either by museum specimens or photographs.
I reckon at least 50% of the hobby knows and has seen TPBB's from the past decade. There are not just photos, but videos, viewable to the public. Is it such that all TPBBs caught within the last decade or so are still alive? Or, the owners who paid a premium for the fish have them stuffed and mounted? For a specimen that requires a security force to get, and months of patience, you can be sure that a lot of money has been invested in it's acquisition, and you can never fault the passionate hobbyists who choose to keep rather than donate to the scientific cause. Science isn't always right, but we get what we deserve... I guess?

? ? ?

I now have 8 P. Bichirs in my tank... All different...
 

Polyaddict86

Alligator Gar
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May 1, 2016
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Im not trying to bash on the study or the author, just trying to say that we dont have to jump the gun and start saying that all specimen falls into one name, i know some of them are subspecies that they might look the same or the same fish, but without DNA testing im not sure if this is a step forward for the poly hobbist.
 
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