Proper ID?

plecoman

Member
Nov 28, 2009
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Columbia, Tennessee, USA
Hey thanks Rabbit! We've always called them by name and not numbers! Gold nugget, bristlenose, etc. I see I've got a lot to learn. I went to the for sale section and my jaw dropped! All I saw was L... this and L.... that! LOL.... I'm like what the heck! Thanks again!
 

macvsog23

Pleco Profiles Team - RIP FRIEND
May 1, 2009
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Bristol
Ok L Numbers

L Numbers are assigned to a fish that has not be classified, that is it has not been identified by the scientific community and given a place in the list of identified species.

All living things have a identification name composed of a genus name mainly a Greek word describing the organisms shape or features. ie Ancistrus means Hook, describing the small hook like protrusions at the edge of the mouth that all members of this genus have. Next is a species name usually based on a Latin interpretation of the person who first identified the spices. Those of you who remember Dr Axelrod also remember the shitty mess he made of identifying fish and giving several names to one species.

L numbers came about due to the massive increase in the importing of sucker mouth cat fish .

In under 20 years hundreds of new species were being discovered and not identified so a system was needed to aid identification .
A German company gave the sucker mouth L numbers as and when they felt it would help. The general feeling was that once a fish had a firm identification and was placed in a genus it could drop the L number and this could be resigned to a new fish.

Sadly it did not work that way and L numbers have become a bit of a nightmare.

For your basic information on this matter "Planet Catfish " is a good starting point.

What should be remembered is that any fish with a firm scientific classification before the L number system should not have a L number, having said that variants, hybrids and misidentification have all added to the mix-up.

Bring back the common made up names I say. Then every ruddy Hypan was either a scribble plec or a spotted plec.

I guess you could see the L Number system a bit like having a ID number for your house say like post codes, makes it easy to find some were better than saying the big house on the hill, saying BS14 8SP is easy to find
 
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Doodles

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
8,786
2
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Ok L Numbers

L Numbers are assigned to a fish that has not be classified, that is it has not been identified by the scientific community and given a place in the list of identified species.

All living things have a identification name composed of a genus name mainly a Greek word describing the organisms shape or features. ie Ancistrus means Hook, describing the small hook like protrusions at the edge of the mouth that all members of this genus have. Next is a species name usually based on a Latin interpretation of the person who first identified the spices. Those of you who remember Dr Axelrod also remember the shitty mess he made of identifying fish and giving several names to one species.

L numbers came about due to the massive increase in the importing of sucker mouth cat fish .

In under 20 years hundreds of new species were being discovered and not identified so a system was needed to aid identification .
A German company gave the sucker mouth L numbers as and when they felt it would help. The general feeling was that once a fish had a firm identification and was placed in a genus it could drop the L number and this could be resigned to a new fish.

Sadly it did not work that way and L numbers have become a bit of a nightmare.

For your basic information on this matter "Planet Catfish " is a good starting point.

What should be remembered is that any fish with a firm scientific classification before the L number system should not have a L number, having said that variants, hybrids and misidentification have all added to the mix-up.

Bring back the common made up names I say. Then every ruddy Hypan was either a scribble plec or a spotted plec.

I guess you could see the L Number system a bit like having a ID number for your house say like post codes, makes it easy to find some were better than saying the big house on the hill, saying BS14 8SP is easy to find
:goodpost:

As said planetcatfish is an excellent resource for L numbers but I have found some info to be out of date. An example--L104 is apparently no longer Panaque maccus , only L162 and LDA22 are now Panaque maccus. I personally find L welse to be more up to date.
 

plecoman

Member
Nov 28, 2009
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Columbia, Tennessee, USA
Hey Thanks macvsog23! Now that was very good information! My eyes, so to speak, have been opened a lot more thanks to your help! I noticed that you are from Bristol. Is that Bristol, Tennessee?
 
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macvsog23

Pleco Profiles Team - RIP FRIEND
May 1, 2009
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Bristol
Hi

I agree with D planet catfish can be a bit out of date , but it is in English. On names from my point once a fish has a scientific description the L number is redundant. Admittedly names change over time ie Hoplosternum is a redundant genus but many still use this genus and several fish are still being listed in Planet catfish as belonging to this genus.


Also L200 is a good example of the confusion that L numbers can cause, two fish one L number.

As I am sure many people know my opinion is that lots of so called species have been given different L numbers and in time these fish will become identified as one species.

L numbers sell fish, as we are now seeing if it is called L ?? it will sell