Stocking A 75 Gallon SPS Tank...

[Anonymous]

Yep, C. argi has yellow on the had only. The criteria used to define different species, and even genera as you know varies greatly across genera, and depending on who is doing the work. (clumpers and seperators) The logic does not translate from one group on organisms to the next either. One person might use morphology, while the next guy may almost completely ignore it (morphology is highly plastic in some genera). The next guy may use feeding habits, as was done with the haplochromines in lake Tanganyika. ONLY using color though is rare, and ultimately the boundary is shot down at some point. Usually other factors come into play, dentition, cranial morphology, range, etc. At the end of the day, genetic work needs to be done on closely related species to determine their relationship. Are we dealing with a geographical color variant of the same species? An integrade? A subspecies? (then you get into what constitutes a subspecies, which again, varies according to who is doing the work) or a genetically and reproductively isolated population - a species? Admittedly, I'm a bit in the dark as to the the ranges of these species (C. argi, acanthops, etc) and where they may overlap. If you have any information as to the classification, (you said they only used color) I'd be very interested in seeing it. This fish is going to be one of my life long projects I think.

Cheers
Jim

 

[Anonymous]

Methinks you should probably get this book Jim, if you don't already own it--
"A Guide to Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes" by Allen, Steene, and Allen. Has detailed info on the known ranges, size at maturity, feeding, distinguishing characteristics etc of ALL the known members of Pomacanthidae and Chaetodontidae--not just the popular aquarium species. If you're going down to MBA anytime soon they sell it in the book store.

For C. argi, it says:

"Deep blue body with yellow or orange face; blue ring around eye. Juvenile similar to adult, but facial coloration less defined. C. aurantonota is similar in appearance, but yellow coloration extends above the eye in this species."

Range: Almost all of the Caribbean, from Brazil to Bermuda.

For C. aurantonota:

"Similar markings to C. argi however, yellow orange head coloration extends to beginning of the dorsal fin in adults, and to rear part of dorsal fin in juveniles."

Range: Southern caribbean, completely within the range of C. argi.

For C. resplendens:

"Yellow orange color extending from mouth along upper back and encompassing dorsal fin; caudal fin also yellow orange; fin margins blue, same color as body. Females distinguished from males on basis of anal fin color, which is more yellow in males."

"C. resplendens ...bears a close resemblace to C. argi and C. aurantonotus [sic], but does not have as much yellow orange on the head."

Range: Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic.

For C. acanthops:

"Bright orange from head to behind pectoral fin, extending along back and dorsal fin; remainder of body dark blue; caudal fin yellow, almost transparent. Similar in appearance to juveniles and sub-adults of C. aurantonota, which are distinguished by the dark blue caudal fin."

Range: East Africa, from S. Africa to Saudi Arabia.

HTH!
Matt

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting note...as you travel from west to east in the ranges of these fish, there is overall more yellow orange on their body.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the heads up Matt, I'll pick that book up ASAP.