# Is it a mistake in the common name



## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I was looking at this Dubiosi - Tropheus duboisi (Pemba) http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1866

The common name is given as Common Name(s): Maswa, Wide Yellow Band, but I feel it is the *White spotted Tropheus Dubiosi*. Someone please clarify.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Common names are neither correct nor mistakes. They can be freely applied to any species and often are. Those are just examples of what they're commonly called. There are probably many more.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

The reason I write this is because in this page http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/c ... php?cat=15

1. Tropheus duboisi (Halembe) Maswa, Wide Yellow Band 
2. Tropheus duboisi (Kabogo) Maswa, Wide Yellow Band 
3. Tropheus duboisi (Pemba) Maswa, Wide Yellow Band

1 & 2 both do have the yellow band. However, 3 is spotted. Infact all the 3 pictures for that profile has white spots.

Again "Tropheus duboisi (Kigoma) Wide White Band" has a White band.

The white spotted Duboisi is particularly given the scientific name Scientific Name: Tropheus duboisi (Marlier 1959) - Maybe identified along with its founder name.
http://tropicalfishcatalog.tripod.com/s ... ds_39.html


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> 1 & 2 both do have the yellow band. However, 3 is spotted. Infact all the 3 pictures for that profile has white spots.


The juveniles have spots that they eventually lose. Anyone selling these as 'spotted cichlids' are preying on those that don't know this. I've seen 'starry night' used also. There are no natural strains that retain spots, and to my knowledge there are no line bred strains that keep these spots into adulthood either.

Scientific name and location point are both important and it's important that both are accurate and non-ambiguous. Common names are marketing tools.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Maswa was/is a location. Maswa was the name of an old fortress, later a monastry, located on the shore South of Maligarasi delta. Unfortunatly the name has been used for different populations in the trade over the years inc Karagao or Kobago, Halembe or whatever. (Many shops/dealers think it is a good location name).
Some Tropheus duboisi labeled "Maswa" will have wide yellow bands and some will not.

Not the way I would like it but the way it is.

white spotted Duboisi seems tautological to me. They are all white spotted when young. And never seen it used. (If you look closely some spots are light blue but look white against the darker bits of the fish)

All the best James

PS dont you just hate the way shops and many cichlid fanciers use a capital for the species name these days? I try hard not to let it bug me but trying is about as far as I can manage. :wink:


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

All good info guys, I am infact trying to decide on a new Duboisi colony between "Halembe" and "Kigoma". I have been having a tough time deciding because it is really tough to find adult pics of them. I agree that trade names are making things more difficult.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Are not those two well shown on this site?
Tropheus duboisi (Halembe)
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1864
and
Tropheus duboisi (Kigoma)
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1864

But yep for all the wild duboisi variants you prob need to have a look at the Aqualog book on Tropheus.

But then there are also the line bred ones like "Starry Night."
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=Trophe ... 29,r:0,s:0


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

Good point :lol: I am just curious about a broader sample of images, Google has not been helpful at all.


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