Publication2 med aquascape Publication1cs complete | Page 57

My decision to include them in the Vieja com-
plex is my own opinion, but you may also find
this fish described under Paratheraps. Both
forms are illustrated to help confusion. It is my
belief that the orange morph V. melanura is a
population confined only to the Lake Peten ba-
sin and not found elsewhere?
Vieja argentea (Allgayer, 1991)
Common name: White cichlid, Silver cichlid
Size: up to 30cm TL
Distribution: Atlantic slope in the Usumacinta riv-
er basin, Mexico
Vieja regani (Miller 1974)
Common name: Almoloya cichlid
Size: 30cm TL
Distribution: Atlantic slope in the Rio Coat-
zacoalcos river basin, Mexico.
Vieja heterospila (Hubbs, 1936)
Common name: Montecristo cichlid
Size: 25cm TL
Distribution: Atlantic slope in the Candalaria and
Usumacinta rivers in Mexico and Guatemala.
Notes: A recent systematic study has suggested
they belong to the Theraps complex?
Vieja ufermanni (Allgayer, 2002)
Common name: Usumacinta cichlid
Size: 25cm TL
Distribution: Atlantic slope in the Usumacinta
river drainage, Guatemala,Mexico.
Notes: Before this fish was described it was
well known as sp. ‘corzo’. There is still much
confusion to its official status within the Vieja
complex. A recent taxonomy study has suggest-
ed that the fish belong to the Theraps complex?
Vieja maculicauda ( Regan, 1905)
Common name: Black Belt cichlid
Size: 30cm TL
Distribution: Atlantic slope in the Usumacinta riv-
er drainage (Guatemala) to the Rio Chagres
(Panama). Found through Belize, Costa Rica, Gua-
temala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama.
References:
Checklist of Freshwater Fishes of South & Cen-
tral America, Sven O, Kullander 2003
Vieja melanura / Vieja synspila (Günther, 1862)
Common name: Quetzel cichlid,
Distribution: Atlantic slope in the De le Pasion
River and Lake Peten basin (Guatemala) Also the
Usumacinta river drainage in Mexico, Guatemala,
Belize.
Notes: It was thought that V. melanura was a
separate species to V. synspila, but since a recent
study comparing both fish, it has since found that
V. synspila is a sister species to V. melanura, so
therefore becomes a junior synonym. According
to rules set by the International Commission on
Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), the older de-
scribed fish (melanura) takes preference. My de-
Vieja ufermanni photo– Aquamojo
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