Before I go off on my little spiel here, I have a quick question about all the Monotrete stuff for you higher experienced peoples. Is Monotrete supposed to be a reclassification of 'Target' puffers ? Because according to what I have read, ' Monotrete ' is not valid. It says, 'not valid: new combination.'
So.. if it isn't valid why are we referring to them as this? (unless of course we are attempting to correct the original discoverer's mistakes)
I'm asking because I have not been able to track down any literature on why people are using Monotrete. And I think in the long run, calling something by two names only adds to confusion. Haha, so fill me in! I'm clueless on it
But here is my real question: What exactly are you looking for in the pics of the Abei's to positively identify that they are Def. a T. Abei? Some on there looked a little questionable. The only reason I am asking all of this is because I have 2 questionable ones. One is different from the other in a few ways. And trying to compare doesnt work at all because I think some of those Abei's are something else. (unless you can tell me what the defining factor is
) In the pics posted, some have plain dull colors and some have amazing color. That is what I thought the defining factor was for Abei's. Some have red eyes, some blue, some yellow. heh. Is it just orange dots that make them Abei's ? I is are confuzzled.
In the 2 specimens I have here, both have a yellowish rear underbelly and a white forward underbelly. Both have patterns of circles covering their backs and sides. One is lighter in color almost all the time ( cept when hiding ) and the other remains a much darker shade and pretty much just chills in one spot. The lighter one has light orange eyes. The darker one has VERY dark red eyes, almost black in appearance. The ligher one has a black ' target ' and in the center is a not so bright red spot. The dark one appears to have a blue target with a faint red dot in the center. Both can shift their colors darker at will. I thought they were Leiurus because one time I saw a pic of what someone called a Leiurus and they matched. However, upon sharing with the community here, we came to the conclusion that they are not Leiurus. Cochinchinensis was the popular vote. So.. do both sound like Fangs puffers to you guys or do you think I might have an Abei? At the moment they are seperate, but they were sold to me from 1 tank as 'Red Belly Puffers'. I find that silly considering the only red on them is a dot and their eyes. I can't get a good enough picture or view to see if the targets are orange or red, but it looks red to me...
Finally, the lighter one appears to have a darker area on his head behind his eyes. It looks like a dark triangular patch. The triangle is pointing toward his mouth.
