I have seen this fish many times over the years. Is it Fundulopanchax sjoestedi? Is it a different species? Just a location where some redder, slightly smaller gularis were once collected, now long lost to history? Has there been anything published about the fish that clears this up?

Thanks

Dr. Glen Collier separated them genetically in JAKA 2010 Jan/Feb. I have not red it recently so I don't recall the amount of difference.

Hi Matt,

I do not recall an article that ever clarified the origins of the "red dwarf" strain of blue gularis. I believe they appeared around the mid-1960's and something tells me they originated in Europe first. Collection data was not published, if memory serves, but I believe they were a commercial import. The mid-1960's AKA newsletters, which Barry did not include in the first CD of AKA material, although these newsletters replaced the very early 60's "Killie Notes" ('62-'63/'64?)until about the end of 1967 or January 1968 when KN was restarted, might have some information but I do not have a complete set of those. The red dwarfs appeared during the newsletter's time. Dick Martino should have the newsletters as Dick Haas - a charter member of the AKA - told me he sent all his AKA material to Martino for the archives, about the year 2000 or so. Bill Dyer, a charter member, if he is still alive, would be the other source as he has an extensive cataloged library of fish material.

Bobby

The more I work with Dwarf Red Gularis and the regular Blue Gularis, I am more convinced they are different species. The Dwarf red lays larger eggs that incubate in water just fine. The Blue forms lay smaller eggs that do not do well in water incubation. Of course there is the color and size difference as well as the DNA difference. Now if we could trace the origin!

Lee Harper
Media, PA