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In my pictures the caudal fin are damaged but they have the same as yours, in the same shipment (box) all species had their own pattern and even as L236 like it shows in the aqualog.
No, L287 are not only spotted they have stripes as well and are as much variable in the pattern as L236.
Even my pic are almost identical with one photo that shows L236 in the aqualog if you look on next page.
And this pic shows a spotted one.
In the same shipment with 24 species more or less all looks exactly as the photos in the aqualog for both L236 and L287, what I mean was that I think they are the same species. Yours match L287 better then L236 but if I am right that doesnt matter...in that way you have L236 as well
Imo this just tells us how erratic the whole system is for a normal home user and that it cant be viewed as a true proof just based on one picture. I think Jools once gave his opinion that its nothing more than a more accurate common name (which i think is a very good description).
In Datz All L-numbers they are not sure if L287 comes from Rio do para or Rio xingu. In the new aqualog all L-numbers they have under the pictures that showing L287 giving Rio do para as the location but in the checklist they write that this location not are correct and that they come from a tributary of Rio xingu, both sources also mention the very high variability in the colouration and no species look the same.
L236 comes from a tributary of Rio xingu...Rio iriri and are just as L287 very high variability in the colouration and no species look the same.
Both these L-nb are what I think identical and because of the very high variability in the pattern and that they not was really sure where L287 origin from the beginning they have been confused and giving them different L-nb, I dont say that this is the case...I just say what I think.
Some of them even look as L66 or L333 but if you compare the shape of their bodys there are differences.
Even L250 could be the same species as these and in fact some of the pictures showing L173 in the new aqualog are also candidates. If all these differenties should be seeing as their own species...Rio xingu would contain hundreds of different species of Hypancistrus.
i would like to say omething about th location of L287:
Some moths ago i bought 3 L287. Ingo Seidl gave them this Number. These fish were cought in the Rio Xingu. The dealer had about 30 fish of this species and every fish was differently patterned.
Yes L287 is coming from the Rio Xingu it was confirm to me by Marco Lacerda, he search for that species in the Rio do Para region but never found any, until he prospected in the Rio Xingu...
Of all the individual he managed to obtain none were bigger than 9cm...