Геофагусы

[mazapura]

This undescribed species is also known as G. sp. ‘red head Tapajós’ but when first exported for aquaria was referred to as G. sp. ‘orange head’ so that name is given priority here.

It’s achieved great popularity in the hobby and is now one of the more readily available members of the genus.

Unfortunately this ‘fashionable’ status has led to quality issues with many commercial breeders producing the species with no regard to culling deformed fry, for example.

If wild fish are unavailable buy from a reputable shop or hobbyist.

There are at least two variants available one of which is usually traded as G. sp. ‘Araguaia orange head’.

This is misleading since both are endemic to the Tapajós drainage (see ‘Distribution’), and appears to date back to an error in collection locality when the fish were first exported.

The two differ in the extent of orange colouration on the head which extends onto the opercle in G. sp. ‘orange head (rio Arapiuns form) but is mostly restricted to the area above the eyes in G. sp. ‘Araguaia orange head’ (Tapajós main channel form).

There is also a solid bar of orange pigmentation running along the dorsal surface between dorsal and caudal fin in the Arapiuns form which isn’t present in the Tapajós variant.

The intensity of both head and dorsal stripe appears to be directly related to age, gender and social position, with dominant adult males displaying the greatest extent, although in general the Arapiuns form is the more brightly-coloured.

Despite these differences the two forms appear to represent a single species which should undoubtedly be included in the putative G. surinamensis ‘group’ within the genus.

Since no other members possess the orange head colouration it’s also among the easiest to distinguish.

Young specimens also have five dark, parallel, vertical bars on the body (normally visible only when the fish are stressed, spawning or preserved) of which the anterior four become bifurcate (vertically split) as the fish mature.

There are no dark preopercular markings and caudal-fin patterning consists of irregular, alternating reddish and bluish to whiteish horizontal bands.

Representatives of the G. surinamensis assemblage are diagnosed by their relatively deep head and body shape, possession of a variably-sized dark spot on each flank and presence or absence of a small, dark preopercular marking.

There are currently thirteen described members but diversity is predicted to eventually prove much greater with a number of undescribed forms known some of which, such as G. sp. ‘orange head’ and G. sp. ‘Pindaré’, are regularly available in the aquarium trade.

Geophagus sp. 'orange head'

Зверніть увагу, що вже є декілька видів з Тапажосу, зі схожими назвами - G. sp. ‘orange head’ = G. sp. ‘red head Tapajós’, + G. sp. ‘Araguaia orange head’ (з Тапажосу), що призводить до плутанини.