Publication2 med aquascape Publication1cs complete | Page 51

A Guide to Paratheraps & Vieja
in Vieja but should be lumped and re-
assigned to the Paraneetroplus complex?
We have also since learned that every-
one’s favourite, Vieja synspila is no longer
a valid name and has now become a junior
synonym of a much older described fish
Vieja melanura. Is it any wonder that the
internet and forums alike are full of arti-
cles and posts with confusion of wrong
names and misidentifications?
For many, name assigning is usually based
on opinion, but there are rules and guide-
lines to be followed, so for the benefit of
the article all cichlids discussed are cur-
rently assigned to both Paratheraps and
Vieja.
Paratheraps / Vieja consists of one of the larg-
est complexes in the Central American family
tree. The taxonomy history has and still is a
challenge, as many other species described
within the complex has since been split and re-
assigned to other genera. Three species make
up Chuco and one species left in the pending
category of ‘exCichlasoma’. Recent taxonomy
papers now tell us that these fish are no longer
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