> The interesting thing about all this is what are people keeping and breeding?
> Lets take Utchee Ck. rainbowfish. What are they breeding - M.splendida
> splendida, M.eachamensis, M.splendida eachamensis, M.eachamensis splendida,
> or just plain old hybrids?
Hybrid is not really the right term to use. It implies things to aquarists
that shouldn't apply to a natural hybrid population. The reason is when did
the hybridisation occur? 1 million years ago, 20,000, still occuring??
In different places it is possible that all three ages may apply. The
one thing you can be sure of is that the taxonomy will change. Despite
what scientists decide we should call it, the rainbowfish from Utchee
Creek will still be the same one that occurs there now. Thus, emphasise
the location name just as much or more than it's specific name and you
will always be accurate.
> Perhaps we should just keep Gudgeons & Gobies,
> then we would all know what we have got, wouldn't we ;-)
Yer right, and some think rainbows are bad. Gobies and gudgeons are just
bliss with ignorance. :-)
> When you think about it we don't really know a lot about our
> freshwater fishes.
Nothing could be truer than the statement those who know the most really
know how little we really know. Drews comment was spot on. (for once I
agree with him) :-)
Tootles
Peter Unmack