Article © Julian Dignall, uploaded September 30, 2022.

Analysis of the introduction rate of l-numbered catfish between 1988 and 2021.

I was delighted to be asked to help with the creation of a new L-number and what now is L517 in 2021. It also reminded me that I have been meaning to update this graph for far too long now. Also, I just updated the full list of L-number introductory articles in DATZ. So, at last, all this is done!

But, what's going on with these numbers? Well, the introduction of a ban of many plecos from Brazil is one factor in the new millennium, but it saw then a rise in plecos from elsewhere, especially Colombia. This was supported by the political situation there enabling more exploratory exports and making it a safer haven for fishes coming from parts of Venezuela. In more recent times, L-number introductions are mostly from adventurer aquarists with a huge reduction in new commercial imports behind new l-numbers. In the last few years, the closer relations of advanced aquarists and ichthyologists means also that instead of new l-numbers, species are often imported and kept under described species names avoiding "temporary" l-numbers. Despite Brazil's export regulations opening up, it looks like 2022 will be one of these few years with no l-numbers at all. It would be pleasant to see this predication proved wrong.

Source: DATZ magazine, up to October 2022.

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