plated or sucker?

bottomdwellin · Post by **bottomdwellin** » 03 Jun 2004, 21:58

Silly question to follow.
I have been reading up on the changes of the "common" pleco over time.
In this research I have found conflicting info, is the pleco in plecostomus plated or sucker?
One place/article says plated but the only real plecostomus (H.plecostomus) says that it is sucker. A further website states it is folded.

Thanks!

Post by **Silurus** » 03 Jun 2004, 22:14

is the pl*co in pl*costomus plated or sucker?

I'm afraid I don't get you. What exactly is it you were asking?

bottomdwellin · Post by **bottomdwellin** » 03 Jun 2004, 22:32

What is the definition/translation of pleco as in the etymology.
In Hypostomus plecostomus it states pleco means sucker.
But in the "Just Say Pleco" article by Shane and Julian it says "what we now call Hypostomus plecostomus (Hypo= underneath; stomus=mouth and pleco=plated, in case you were wondering)"

Another website defines pleco as folded.

Post by **Silurus** » 03 Jun 2004, 23:20

The proper etymology should be from the Greek plektos. meaning twisted, which is conjugated with the Greek stoma, meaning mouth.

The confusion comes from two very similar words:

The Greek plax or plakos, meaning a flat, wide object (e.g. a plate).

and the Latin plica, meaning a fold.