Found an interesting study.

[Zionas]

https://reefbuilders.com/2009/10/16/yellow-scopas-tangs-kissing-cousins/

Could they really be the same kind of Tang?


https://reefs.com/2018/09/13/on-white-tangs-genomic-islands/

 

[Zach B]

Very cool, this will be my read now that my kids are napping :)

 

[sfin52]

https://reefbuilders.com/2009/10/16/yellow-scopas-tangs-kissing-cousins/

Could they really be the same kind of Tang?


https://reefs.com/2018/09/13/on-white-tangs-genomic-islands/

Very cool read

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes and they’re similar genetics to the koi tangs

 

[JayLu]

Thanks. You had me at the mention of a white tang.

 

[Zionas]

Yes I found the white Tang super interesting as well.

I wonder if in the future we’ll have Zebrasoma cf. flavescens for the Scopas or Zebrasoma cf. scopas for the Yellow?

 

[ca1ore]

Fecal-hued ...... ouch!

 

[LegendaryCG]

Scopas are much more interesting to look at though (in my opinion).

 

[nereefpat]

I wonder if in the future we’ll have Zebrasoma cf. flavescens for the Scopas or Zebrasoma cf. scopas for the Yellow?

The cf designation is 'similar to,' and I believe it is reserved for species that haven't been named yet. If they combined them, I think they would go with Z. flavescens (described earlier than scopas)...so what used to be Z. scopas would be Z. flavescens var. scopas....if that makes sense....I think I have that right.

According to the article, the two share 99.7% of their DNA. It would be nice to know how much yellow and purple share, for example, so we would have an idea how close this really is. Humans and chimpanzees share about 99% too.

Koi tangs, and other color morphs are just Z. scopas.

 

[Zionas]

Yellow, Scopas, Purple, Black, and Gem could potentially ALL be morphs of Z. Flavescens? Wow.

 

[nereefpat]

No, there are too many differences between those fishes.

 

[andrewkw]

One thing that is interesting is how much variation there is in scopas. Yellow ones, blue ones, koi. There is the very odd white yellow tang (casper) but otherwise pretty much all yellow tangs look the same. Same for purple.

I have a yellow scopas, I choose this one specifically because his tail is still grey. I have seen some that are a lot harder to tell apart but most people who look at him can tell he is a scopas unless they are not very familiar with fish.

 

[Zionas]

Yours is really good looking. How long have you had it for and how big has it grown?

 

[andrewkw]

Yours is really good looking. How long have you had it for and how big has it grown?

I got him in 2017. That picture is from 2019 I just grabbed the first decent one I could find to post. I will guestimate him at 5-6".

I wanted a yellow scopas for years, I used to see a few per year when I used to weekly fish shop. I moved out to country in 2016 and when I walked into a fish store and chatted with the owner whom I hadn't seen in forever and right away he told me he had something I'd like... I have seen a blue one once and a few very expensive koi ones. Maybe if I had an unlimited budget I'd get a blue one but I really really like the yellow one.

 

[Zionas]

Yeah I agree the Yellow ones look the best. Do you expect him to grow more?

 

[andrewkw]

Yeah I agree the Yellow ones look the best. Do you expect him to grow more?

Probably. He definitely has gotten bigger since I got him and I hope to still have him 20 years from now..

 

[Zionas]

Yeah that would be awesome I definitely hope to have my fish for their entire lifespans. How big’s your tank?