Diversity of fishes of the Napo and Arajuno rivers, with potential of handling, in the Parish Ahuano, Canton Tena, Napo Province

Abstract

The study is carried out to establish the diversity of fish in the Napo and Arajuno rivers in the segments that cross the Ahuano parish of the Tena Canton, Napo Province in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Several studies indicate that the Napo River basin would have up to 680 species of fish (Barriga, 2012). A monitoring effort was carried out for 12 months. Trammel and trawl nets were used to collect the specimens. Sampling was carried out at five stations in each river, every 1,000 meters, once a month during the 11 months of study. As a general result, the record of 27 species of bony fish was obtained. Of the order Characiformes, 16 species were obtained, being the most diverse, while at the taxonomic family level, Characidae was more frequent with 9 corresponding species. Additionally, a survey was carried out among 5 indigenous and peasant communities on the banks of the two rivers to establish the preference for fish consumption and the potential species for management, which were: Prochilodus nigricans for 28%, followed by Pimelodus blochii 18%, Mylosoma duriventre, Leporinus pearsoni, Hypostomus oculeus, Aguarunichthys torosus, Leporinus friederici and Triportheus angulatus with 9% each.