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Niche species similarity


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#1 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 14 August 2011 - 01:56 PM

I was browsing the internet just now looking at new fish species I'd never seen before, and I ran into this fish. Image: http://www.seriously...mento macho.jpg
Its name is Aphanius mento, and it is a small, one to two inch fish that inhabits the densely vegetated regions of freshwater in Turkey and nearby countries. One male colors up in the colony, while the rest remain submissive and have a less intense coloration.

The reason why I'm bringing this up is because this is a photo of Aphanius mento: http://www.seriously...in Feshka 1.JPG
And this is a photo of Elassoma gilberti: http://gallery.nanfa...ze_001.jpg.html

This is a subdominant Elassoma gilberti: http://gallery.nanfa...ze_002.jpg.html
And this an Aphanius mento: http://www.israquari...anius mento.jpg

It's really interesting to me that two fish can be so distantly related and be so similar.

The major difference that I see is their aggression. Aphanius mento is an evil little bugger, with dominant males sometimes wiping out subdominant males and females alike if the tank is too crowded. Elassoma gilberti is super shy, and although the dominant male will flap its fins at a subdominant male and sometimes rush at it, they never actually hurt one another and the females are definitely never involved.

Edit: Oh, also, it looks like the male Aphanius mento will eat its eggs. Male Elassoma gilberti guard theirs from harm. That's another difference.

Edited by EricaWieser, 14 August 2011 - 02:02 PM.


#2 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 14 August 2011 - 02:22 PM

Yeah, convergent evolution is surprisingly common.

#3 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 14 August 2011 - 03:05 PM

Some other Elassoma-analogs from around the world include the S.Amer pearl killifishes like Cynolebias nigripinnis and the Dario and Badis species from SE Asia; morphologically and behaviorally kinda similar.

#4 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 14 August 2011 - 06:45 PM

Some other Elassoma-analogs from around the world include the S.Amer pearl killifishes like Cynolebias nigripinnis and the Dario and Badis species from SE Asia; morphologically and behaviorally kinda similar.

Wow, I didn't know about the Cynolebias nigripinnis. They're pretty cute :)



#5 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 14 August 2011 - 07:03 PM

i used to keep and breed dario/badis species while in college. They are some amazing fish. Behavior similar to apistogrammas, but to me, much more beautiful.

#6 Guest_IvanMike_*

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Posted 01 October 2011 - 08:16 AM

Convergent evolution is what it's all about, and if anything, serves as one heck of a validation to evolution. Morphological and behavioral traits work very well in similar circumstances. Ergo, you get micropterous and cichla, green sunfish and nandopsis, most other Lepomis and a host of neotropical cichlids and tilapia, and the huge host of marsupials (sadly most extinct) that are ecological analogues of placental mammals of most types.

#7 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 01 October 2011 - 06:03 PM

Convergent evolution is what it's all about, and if anything, serves as one heck of a validation to evolution. Morphological and behavioral traits work very well in similar circumstances. Ergo, you get micropterous and cichla, green sunfish and nandopsis, most other Lepomis and a host of neotropical cichlids and tilapia, and the huge host of marsupials (sadly most extinct) that are ecological analogues of placental mammals of most types.


It happens over time as well as geography. Lizard like creatures with gliding apparatus's similar to but unrelated to the draco lizard have evolved a couple times and their was once a cartilaginous fish that evolved gliding wing fins similar to a modern flying fish.

#8 Guest_IvanMike_*

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Posted 01 October 2011 - 06:44 PM

It happens over time as well as geography. Lizard like creatures with gliding apparatus's similar to but unrelated to the draco lizard have evolved a couple times and their was once a cartilaginous fish that evolved gliding wing fins similar to a modern flying fish.

not to mention the huge pectoral muscles (much like a bird!) that hatchet fish have (the only true "flying" fish).

#9 Guest_Erica Lyons_*

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Posted 24 January 2014 - 05:06 PM

Found another one, Simpsonichthys sp.urucuia:

Posted Image
http://www.aquabid.c...ishe

#10 Guest_Erica Lyons_*

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Posted 24 January 2014 - 10:19 PM

It's so weird to see an elassoma-like fish do its little dance for a female and then plunge itself into the substrate.


#11 Guest_Mysteryman_*

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Posted 05 February 2014 - 01:58 AM

Cynolebias used to be found here in south Alabama!
You see, several decades ago the state Dept of Transportation used to bring up boatloads of dirt from south america to use as road-fill. I have no idea why. Anyway, that dirt was full of eggs, and when it rained... fish aplenty! They're all gone now, though. I guess that even our mild winter was too much for them.



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