Abstract
Fish eggs are often excluded from identification analysis since at this stage of development there are few morphological characters. The correct identification of eggs can provide important information about spawning areas of species. The current work aimed to identify fish eggs in the Tibagi and Cinzas Rivers using the DNA barcode to obtain information on richness and diversity, adding to the existing data in the area. Of the 928 sequences analyzed using the BOLD Systems database, 99.78% were able to be identified at a specific level, demonstrating a high success rate for egg identification. The samples resulted in 25 species, 11 families, and 2 orders. Of the 25 species found, more than half (60%) present reproductive migration behavior, indicating that the tributaries of the Capivara reservoir are being used as a migratory route by these species. Eggs of rare and endangered species were found, indicating these tributaries as spawning grounds for these species. The results demonstrate the importance of identifying fish eggs in reservoir-influenced environments to recognize breeding areas of native and endangered species, as well as the importance of the Tibagi and Cinzas Rivers for the maintenance of native fish species in the Paranapanema River.
Highlights
IntroductionFreshwater ecosystems are one of the most threatened natural environments (Dudgeon et al, 2006; Strayer and Dudgeon, 2010)
Despite great diversity, freshwater ecosystems are one of the most threatened natural environments (Dudgeon et al, 2006; Strayer and Dudgeon, 2010)
Due to the greater richness of species found in previous studies, the present study aims to identify fish eggs collected in three consecutive reproductive cycles in the Tibagi River and Cinzas River using the DNA barcode technique, in order to obtain more information on the estimation of drifting eggs as well as the spawning grounds for fish species
Summary
Freshwater ecosystems are one of the most threatened natural environments (Dudgeon et al, 2006; Strayer and Dudgeon, 2010). Dams are one of the main threats to biodiversity in freshwater environments due to the inability of some species to survive in dammed water bodies, as a result of loss of breeding habitats, impairment in reproductive migration, and population fragmentation. The main tributaries of the Capivara reservoir are the Tibagi and Cinzas Rivers, considered important for maintaining the biodiversity of local ichthyofauna. As these rivers are lotic environments and similar to the original basin, they offer adequate conditions that aid in the maintenance of species (Dias et al, 2004; Hoffmann et al, 2005; Agostinho et al, 2007; Lopes et al, 2007; Vianna and Nogueira, 2008; Orsi, 2010)
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