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Me too. I am so totally confused. In the past year I have collected what dealers and importers have told me tobe L340s, L236s, L333s, L287s, L173s, L98s, and they all have variations with each group buys that look similar to the others.

I think your theory may hold water.

Hi Jerms,

Hope you don't mind me posting more pics to show you my confusion too.

Pic of 1st L333 about 4.5 inches which I think is a true L333


other L333(about 3 inches)


1st purchase of L236, the tails were longer and were whiter when I bought them, since then I think they may have been chewed off. (about 3 inches)



2nd purchase of L236, right out of the box, looks more to be L287 or Belo Monte. (about 3 inches)




here are some L287s (about 3 inches)



and then I have what I bought as L173 ( about 3 inches)



Please keep in mind that when I buy these it's sight unseen and the dealer ships them to me air cargo so I have no way of picking.

You can see how I am confused. Maybe someone can shed some light. Any thoughts.

At least Jerms fish are all black and white in the pics . Mine all vary from white, cream, to yellow. I don't even know how to start breeding them to get the correct ones together.

Ken

I'm pretty sure the L173's are not a Zebra though. L173 is an alias for Zebra, but with a different pattern. But those have brown eyes. I've never seen a Zebra with anything but white, or a bluish tint, in their eyes.

At least the H. Zebra can be identified with a degree of certainty being described it is to be found in this database:

http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/Single ... lue=680132

There's a search function at the bottom of the page. I found it very interesting to see the Taxonomic system like it is presented here.

I've done a bit of digging concerning hybrids and species so forth lately, and been in contact with people that study this very issue. I've found lots of useful information. But this is clearly very deep water, as even the biologists don't always agree...

Yeah I agree with McEve your L173 is not a zebra, but a cool L236!!!! Do you know where he caught this specimen at?? Your others look alot like L333....like my number 7....

Hi Ken,

the second purchase of your "236" are that what is called sp. "Belo Monte" at the moment. Some younger ones ... some older ones, but they are!

Sven

Thanks Sven and everyone.

Jerms,

I tried to find out where the L173 was from but was unable to get that info from the importer. I will try it again next week. He is currently on vacation so I'll have to wait. If that one L173 is truly a L236 that would be nice but then all the other L236 that I purchase are not unless they're just ugly L236s. The one below the first L173 also came in as a L173. As you can see they are so different.????????

It is definitely a gamble when I order things from the importer but I always hope to get something that might resemble plecs in the books and sites.

Ken

So does any one dare take a guess on mine?? I think I might need to sell some or put them in dividual tanks....let me know...thanks

I think they're L236

Hi Ken,

IMO these L173 are sp. "Belo Monte" too. They have just got a more beautiful pattern as the other ones. There are no morphologic differences.

Sven

Here you can see a young sp. "Belo Monte". When they are younger they have got a beautyful pattern. No pleco seems to look like the other. This is one individual with a "medium" pattern and colouration.



Sven

Just as a side note. The biologists definition of a species is:

Templeton 1989:

The most inclusive group of organisms having the potential for genetic
and/or demographic exchangeability

There are other definitions, but this is the latest one.

Hi Sven,

if you were to assign L#s to the sp. "Belo Monte" what would they be or do you think that there is not a L# assigned to them. Do yo uthink that there maybe several L#s currently that maybe the sp. "Belo Monte".

Keep in mind that all my examples other that the first are around 3 inches. Also the second group of L236 are right out of the box so they are still showing their stress/fright coloration. On the other hand the first L173 came in right out of the box with the brilliant white and black from the start no changing of color even as of today and is the same size.

Jerms,

What does the coloration look like on yours when they are in their normal tank? Do you have any pics of them in the tank?

Ken

Hi Ken,

the sp. "Belo Monte" dosen't have a L-number yet. But i know that it will get one in the next time.

The unanswered question is: Are the pictures of L236 from Aqualog just showing some nice individums of sp. "Belo Monte". IMO they do, but the situation will get clearer within the next months.

Sven

Hi,

i think that in all photos we got L236, L287, L333, L173 and L174 since all as once i stated that are closely related who knows if in fact they are a mix of some kind

My Turn

These came in as L173s... they are young at the moment...

We have 5 - lots of piccys > HERE <