Here is an article i thought might be of interest to those who maintain corys, and we are many I think.
It has long been assumed that there are many more species of Corydoras as yet undiscovered in the streams of Amazonia. Back in the 1990's, Dr. David Sands in England did extensive research on this genus of fish, and in his research discovered several species. He surmised then that dozens and possibly hundreds more were out there waiting to be found, in small streams that had up to then never been explored by collectors. Dr. Sands also identified sympatric species that share near-identical colouration and patterning, each endemic to a specific stream.
This latest work has discovered that there are numerous cases of three or more distinct species having identical colouration. This study also determined that these species live in different ecological niches, that is, they eat different foods and thus do not compete.
Such rather astounding discoveries are, as noted by one of the study's authors, further reason to preserve and manage the Amazonian environments. As Sir David Attenborough wisely observed in one of his documentaries, there are many species in the South American rainforest that will become extinct before we have ever discovered them.
There are many more Corydoras out there... | News | Practical Fishkeeping
It has long been assumed that there are many more species of Corydoras as yet undiscovered in the streams of Amazonia. Back in the 1990's, Dr. David Sands in England did extensive research on this genus of fish, and in his research discovered several species. He surmised then that dozens and possibly hundreds more were out there waiting to be found, in small streams that had up to then never been explored by collectors. Dr. Sands also identified sympatric species that share near-identical colouration and patterning, each endemic to a specific stream.
This latest work has discovered that there are numerous cases of three or more distinct species having identical colouration. This study also determined that these species live in different ecological niches, that is, they eat different foods and thus do not compete.
Such rather astounding discoveries are, as noted by one of the study's authors, further reason to preserve and manage the Amazonian environments. As Sir David Attenborough wisely observed in one of his documentaries, there are many species in the South American rainforest that will become extinct before we have ever discovered them.
There are many more Corydoras out there... | News | Practical Fishkeeping