[Kain]

Im a bit confused about the difference between serrasalmus gibbus and Spilo. On piranhaexotica.com they labeled a gibbus as a gold piranha. My gold looks just like that one in his photo. Are these the same fish? I also noticed that he labeled Serrasalmus Niger as "true black" piranha but I know that's wrong. Ive seen other sites that labeled pictures of gold piranhas as serrasalmus gibbus. So what da heck is a gibbus?

 

[hastatus]

Kain Posted on Jul 7 2003, 08:39 PM
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Im a bit confused about the difference between serrasalmus gibbus and Spilo. On piranhaexotica.com they labeled a gibbus as a gold piranha. My gold looks just like that one in his photo. Are these the same fish? I also noticed that he labeled Serrasalmus Niger as "true black" piranha but I know that's wrong. Ive seen other sites that labeled pictures of gold piranhas as serrasalmus gibbus. So what da heck is a gibbus?

Majority of web sites are re-created from the original (being PredFish) largely on OPEFE pirana information. I say this not to demean Pfury but to illustrate how information on piranas has evolved and why I am here along with many other equal and talented people. Pfury specializes primarily on piranas and that is what makes this forum unique and very accurate now.

Now as far as this other web site is concerned since its dealer based, I don't know much about it but if its like many others I've seen they pretty much are general based information, mostly guessing. In that their information comes from OPEFE or word of mouth from other hobbyists or beginners in this field but their experience is probably limited. This is constructive criticism not an attack so please do not misunderstand. You have come here to the right place for the right information.

So now to answer your question. S. gibbus is based on a poor description and the original specimen used to described vanished during World War II.

This name resurfaced via TFH magazines and books and was used on S. spilopleura incorrectly where it has remained until the recent revision on one book by Brian Scott. S. gibbus is a name that occasionally surfaces today in science circles for possibly a vario-type of S. rhombeus. It may someday be used, we don't know. For sure it does not belong on S. spilopleura.

 

[Kain]

Thank you sooo much Frank!! You da Man!!!

I was a bit confused at first now I know

Talk about going through a lot of confusion with a single fish lol. I bought the fish as a brandti, found out it was a spilo of some sort but not sure if its a gold because it was 4 inches and doesnt have a bit of gold on it. Then it started getting gold and I thought I knew for sure....then I saw pix of a gibbus that looked exactly like my fish....Kinda frustrating not knowing what kinda fish I got lol. Thanks again Frank.

 

[hastatus]

Speaking of Brandii. Old books also show photos of Pygopristis denticulata as S. brandii. So watch out for the Myers book on piranhas.

 

[Azrael]

Oh man,
I have a half-dozen P-books, and If you want to buy a good book( this is only my personal opinion, but we can start a tread and discuss literature in a moderate way; Xenon and Frank : what do you think about it?) go for Piranhas by David M schleser.

In the named book you can read very useful information, good pics, good description of P's in scientific-way, P in the hobby,and much more for only a couple of $$$!

This book is really worth buying !

Many Thanks to David, if you ever visit the best P-forum in the world !

So fury-members :

!

 

[hastatus]

I presently maintain that the Schleser book overall is the best out there though it is now dated by today's standards, yet still very current.

 

[Birdman]

Im a bit confused about the difference between serrasalmus gibbus and Spilo. On piranhaexotica.com they labeled a gibbus as a gold piranha. My gold looks just like that one in his photo. Are these the same fish? I also noticed that he labeled Serrasalmus Niger as "true black" piranha but I know that's wrong. Ive seen other sites that labeled pictures of gold piranhas as serrasalmus gibbus. So what da heck is a gibbus?

correct me if im wrong but isnt the p that they sell as serrasalmus gibbus is a type of complex form high back rhom, well i just heard that somewhere

 

[hastatus]

Birdman Posted on Jul 8 2003, 01:07 AM ........correct me if im wrong but isnt the p that they sell as serrasalmus gibbus is a type of complex form high back rhom, well i just heard that somewhere.

The type you are refering to is close to the Jegu revision of S. gibbus where a high-backed S. rhombeus is used for the revisited name. However, at the time of the revision more S. rhombeus morphotypes were being discovered, which unscientifically speaking threw a monkey into the works in reusing this name on the fish. As it presently works out, S. rhombeus from different localities can be variable body shape due to geographical requirements. In the end they grow out to adulthood pretty much looking like typical S. rhombeus. The fish that sometimes is confused for a high back is S. altispinis, alittle known fish and one that I have not actually seen live, though a few photos by hobbyists and some dealers, sure look like it.

It is a fish that is between S. rhombeus and the compressus group, which includes S. compressus, S. geryi, S. altuvei and S. hastatus. S. altispinis is a bit thicker bodied than those, yet a bit thinner than S. rhombeus. It also has a unique feature, the pectoral fin sits a bit higher off the belly scutes than S. rhombeus. A trait not often noted by collectors or hobbyists since dealers tend to not distinguish it from other rhombeus.

 

[Birdman]

jeez i have never heard of a S. altispinis