Abstract
Knowledge about the taxonomy and fish composition from the upper rio Paraúna (rio São Francisco basin) and upper rio Santo Antônio (rio Doce basin) in the middle portion of the Southern Espinhaço mountain range, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil is still incipient. Only few studies focusing on ichthyofaunistic diagnostic and species descriptions in the lower stretches of the rio Santo Antônio are available. Herein the aim was to provide a species list of the freshwater ichthyofauna from the headwaters of both basins in such region, and to verify the occurrence of threatened, exotic, and potentially new species. Sixty species were registered, with 34 associated to the upper rio Paraúna, and 40 to the upper rio Santo Antônio. Two species are included in some threatened category, three are exotics, and 14 represent potentially new species. An identification key of the fish species recorded in the area is also provided.
Highlights
The Espinhaço mountain range is one of the most diverse areas in Brazil, presenting a poorly known fauna with high degree of endemism and records of new fish species in recent years (Alves et al 2008)
The rio Santo Antônio is one of the most important tributaries of the rio Doce basin on its left bank. Throughout these drainages we sampled 40 localities, which drain the watershed of the upper rio Paraúna and upper rio Santo Antônio (Table 1; Figs 1, 2)
Phalloceros uai is an endemic species from rio São Francisco basin and, in this study, we present the first record for the rio Santo Antônio basin
Summary
The Espinhaço mountain range is one of the most diverse areas in Brazil, presenting a poorly known fauna with high degree of endemism and records of new fish species in recent years (Alves et al 2008). This scene is reinforced in the headwaters. S.A. dos Santos & M.R. Britto / ZooKeys 1054: 25–66 (2021)
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