Ecomorphological correlates of twenty dominant fish species of Amazonian floodplain lakes.

F. K. Siqueira-Souza,K. C. Yamamoto,C. Bayer,C. E. C. Freitas,W. H. Caldas,D. C. Cardoso

doi:10.1590/1519-6984.16215

Abstract

Fishes inhabiting Amazonian floodplain lakes exhibits a great variety of body shape, which was a key advantage to colonize the several habitats that compose these areas adjacent to the large Amazon rivers. In this paper, we did an ecomorphological analysis of twenty abundant species, sampled in May and August 2011, into two floodplain lakes of the lower stretch of the Solimões River. The analysis detected differences among species, which could be probably associated with swimming ability and habitat use preferences.

Highlights

Amazonian floodplain lakes are complex environments, whose spatial heterogeneity spans such distinct habitats as flooded forests, macrophyte meadows and open water
The first principal component represented 68.38% of the variance and produced two groups of species based on their hydrodynamics
Species grouped to the left side of the axis are Hoplosternum litoralle, Anodus elongatus, Rhythiodus microlepis, Hemiodus immaculatus, Leporinus trifasciatus, L. friderici, and Schizodon fasciatus (Figure 3)

Summary

Introduction

Amazonian floodplain lakes are complex environments, whose spatial heterogeneity spans such distinct habitats as flooded forests, macrophyte meadows and open water. A diverse assemblage of fish species containing a large spectrum of morphologies and feeding behaviors has colonized this heterogeneous environment This environmental spatial heterogeneity imposes scales and is responsible for a nested model of diversity (Freitas et al, 2014), which needs to be considered in studies of fish ecology. This high environmental heterogeneity favored the establishment of a large diversity of fish, which have developed several adaptations through evolutive process. These adaptations include aspects of their morphologies related to swimming across the open water or to maneuvering within the dense structures of macrophyte meadows and flooded forests

Methods

Results

Conclusion