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Forgive a novice's confusion... I'm trying to figure this "common" pl*co thing out!! Am I getting this straight?

Okay... back in the old days, the "Common Pl*co" rightfully referred to the Hypostomus plecostomus, because it was the most commonly imported/available... More recently, it is probably more reasonable to call the Liposarcus pardalis or multiradiatus the more "Common" Pl*co because it is the more readily available. Some people say other pl*cos are more common...

Now then... My fish (pictured)...................................

http://www.boomspeed.com/rickeybird/hoov1.jpg
http://www.boomspeed.com/rickeybird/hoov2.jpg
http://www.boomspeed.com/rickeybird/hoov3.jpg

...is probably liposarcus pardalis... (although some people apparently call this fish a pterygoplichthys pardalis, or even glyptopterichthys?)... I found one source that said that Hypostominae has two subgroups: Glyptopterichthys and Liposarcus....

But in any event, most icthyologists would classify my fish as the following:
Class Actinopterygii
Order Siluriformes
Family Loricariidae (Subfamily Hypostominae)
Genus Liposarcus
Species...
And the number usualy associated with the fish is either L21 or L23...

Am I getting it ???

Somehow I get the idea that the more common the catfish, the harder it is to name the fish with confidence!! .... at least for the novice....

The confusion between <i>Hypostomus</i> and <i>Liposarcus</i> in the early days was largely due to their similarity in color and the fact that people didn't really check the fish identities very carefully (plus there were no ichthyologists working on the problem until recently).
If you're really up to it, I can email you a pdf of Claude Weber's revision of <i>Pterygoplichthys</i> sensu lato (including <i>Liposarcus</i> and <i>Glyptoperichthys</i>). In addition to being technical, it's also in French. But at least you can look at the pictures...

Thank you. I would appreciate that! I speak some French, and read it adequately! I am a determined amateur naturalist... I love to learn!! Thanks again!!
Gail