Ichthyofaunal Diversity Research Articles

Research on dams and fishes: determinants, directions, and gaps in the world scientific production

Despite the socio-environmental importance of ichthyofauna, global fish biodiversity has decreased, and the damming of rivers is one anthropogenic activity that causes this reduction. This scientometric study evaluates the main determinants, directions, and gaps of scientific research on the biodiversity of fishes that are influenced by dams. Between 1991 and 2016, there was an increase in the number of studies about this topic, in proportion to the total number of studies that were evaluated. The distribution of these studies among countries is not random, since some socioeconomic and environmental factors (e.g., gross domestic product, number of researchers, number of large dams) determine the distribution of research. Moreover, these studies mostly address the negative impacts of dams on fish communities on a local scale; several studies have shown the importance of mitigating these impacts. In this particular study, we emphasize the need to research the effects of fishing, cascading dams and the phylogenetic diversity of ichthyofauna. We find that the relationship between dams and fish has become popular among researchers, in particular those who are willing to understand the causes, consequences, and severity of these changes on the ichthyofauna.

Phylogeny and biogeography of the Brazilian–Guiana Shield endemic Corymbophanes clade of armoured catfishes (Loricariidae)

AbstractNumerous rivers, interrupted by large waterfalls and extensive rapids, drain the geologically ancient Guiana Shield Highlands. We describe a new armoured catfish genus and two new species endemic to the upper Ireng and Kuribrong rivers, respective tributaries of the Amazon and Essequibo basins in western Guiana. Corymbophanes ameliae sp. nov. is distinguished by having vermiculations on the abdomen, bands on the caudal fin, the anal fin i,5 and narrow caudal peduncle. Yaluwak primus gen. & sp. nov. is distinguished by having evertible cheek odontodes, a plated snout, a tall caudal peduncle and absence of adipose fin and iris operculum. We present a new molecular phylogenetic analysis inclusive of these and several related genera that suggests that the Corymbophanes clade (Araichthys, Corymbophanes, Cryptancistrus, Guianancistrus, Hopliancistrus and Yaluwak) originated in the Guiana Shield with secondary dispersal to the Brazilian Shield. Within the Guiana Shield, relationships among Corymbophanes and Yaluwak are consistent with geodispersal between drainages via headwater capture, although an uplift-mediated relictual distribution cannot be ruled out. ND2 haplotype structure among C. ameliae populations suggests that ichthyofaunal diversity on the Guiana Shield escarpment is shaped not only by inter-, but also intrafluvial barriers to gene flow.

Checklist of the ichthyofauna of the Rio Negro basin in the Brazilian Amazon.

This study presents an extensive review of published and unpublished occurrence records of fish species in the Rio Negro drainage system within the Brazilian territory. The data was gathered from two main sources: 1) litterature compilations of species occurrence records, including original descriptions and revisionary studies; and 2) specimens verification at the INPA fish collection. The results reveal a rich and diversified ichthyofauna, with 1,165 species distributed in 17 orders (+ two incertae sedis), 56 families, and 389 genera. A large portion of the fish fauna (54.3% of the species) is composed of small-sized fishes < 10 cm in standard length. The main groups are Characiformes (454 species; 39.0%), Siluriformes (416; 35.7%), Gymnotiformes (105; 9.0%), and Cichliformes (102; 8.8%). The species composition differs between the main aquatic environments, such as: main channel (159 species), lakes (296), tributary rivers (596), small streams (234), seasonal beaches (186), and rapids (41). Part of the ichthyofauna is shared with adjacent basins, such as the Orinoco, rivers of the Guiana Shield, lower Solimões/Amazonas and upper Amazonas, which contributes to the remarkable ichthyofaunal diversity of the basin. A high rate of species endemism was observed in Characidae (24), Loricariidae (18), Cichlidae (18) and Callichthyidae (18), totalling 156 species (13.4%) endemic to the basin. An estimation of the species richness for the Rio Negro basin, considering 23 published references, resulted in 1,466 and 1,759 species (Jackknife 1 and 2, respectively), which seems reasonable when considering the large number of morphotypes left out of the present list and the low sampling effort in many areas of the basin. The results presented herein provide an additional tool for environmental managers and decision makers for conservation purposes of one of the richest and most well-preserved sub-basins of the Rio Amazonas system.

Ichthyofaunal Diversity in Mangrove Based Estuary of Way Kambas National Park

Fish fauna survey was conducted in Way Kambas National Park, to explore fish diversity originating from mangrove ecosystem areas. Fish samples was obtained using electrofish (12V 10A), nets, fishing rods and hand fish net. Sampling was conducted at three stations, Wako, Kuala Kambas and Kuala Penet. Result showed that there were 26 fish morphospecies based on early morphology and body trait identification. Specimens identified consisted of 16 families and 21 species. Kuala Penet has highest diversity with H = 2.78, E = 0.72, d = 5.45. Keting fish (Mystus sp.) was the highest abundance compared to others. Further identification using molecular approach such as DNA Barcoding is needed to confirm the type of each species.

Fishes from Tamiraparani river system, Tamil Nadu

Streams and rivers originating from Western Ghats have been conferred with diverse fish fauna. Owing to the diverse ichthyofauna, the present investigation was designed to study species diversity, distribution, diversity indices, human use pattern and conservation status of fishes in four fragments of Tamiraparani river system. Altogether, 125 fish species belonging to 13 orders, 44 families and 73 genera were identified from upstream, midstream and lower estuary of Tamiraparani river. In total, 66 fish species were recorded from Vannarapettai, 63 species from Manimuthar, 58 species from Srivaikundam and 53 species from Punnakayal estuary. Cypriniformes (43 species) was the order with diverse species composition and Cyprinidae was the most dominated group represented by 39 species. The river supports 64% food fish, 25.6% ornamental fish and 10.4% ornamental as well as food fish. Out of 125 species, six species were endangered and four vulnerable. Calculated values for various diversity indices were observed on higher side. Our study indicated that the Tamiraparani river system supports highly diverse fish fauna.

Fish Trophodynamics in Tropical Mudflats: a Dietary and Isotopic Perspective

Unvegetated, open mudflat areas are a dominant feature of tropical coastlines, relatively productive and known to support high ichthyofaunal diversity. However, the mudflat’s food web is poorly characterized, especially the primary production that supports it and the degree of dependence on adjacent mangroves. In this study, we investigated the trophodynamics of vagile fish fauna utilizing a large tropical intertidal mudflat area during high tide in Klang, Malaysia, using stomach content and stable isotope (carbon and nitrogen) approaches. Cluster analysis revealed that 53 major fish species using the mudflats, which comprised mainly of juveniles, can be grouped into eight dietary guilds implying a variable degree of food resource partitioning among species. The dominant guild of “shrimp feeders” and all other guilds prey on shrimps of the families Penaeidae and Sergestidae to varying degrees. These abundant crustaceans constitute the prevalent shared prey resource, ecologically important to the co-existence of many mudflat fishes. Stable isotope analysis revealed four to five trophic levels in a relatively complex food web fueled not only by microphytobenthos but also phytoplankton in highly turbid waters. Close pelagic–benthic coupling due to shallow waters and strong tidal mixing probably sustains the mudflat’s primary production and relatively high number of trophic levels despite the transitory and highly dynamic environment. The mudflat’s autochthonous production and diverse prey resources highlight the importance of this often overlooked coastal habitat especially in supporting the early life stage of diverse fish species and, thus, coastal fisheries.

Fish assemblage and structure as well as hydrological parameters at Karatoya Fish Sanctuary, Panchagarh, Bangladesh

Abstract Spatiotemporal variation in fish assemblage structure was conducted from January to December 2015 in order to know the impacts of sanctuary on ichthyo-faunal diversity with its indices and major hydrological factors from six sampling stations of Karatoya fish sanctuary sectioned in the river Karatoya. A total of 69 fish species was obtained from this sanctuary including 21 threatened species where Aspidoparia jaya, Pethia ticto, Puntius sophore, Canthophrys gongota and Barilius barna was the major contributory species (> 4.17%) both in space and time. The uppermost species richness and abundance were viewed in January and lowest in May. Based on analysis of similarities (ANOSIM), fish assemblages were significantly different equally in station (P < 0.001, R = 0.15) and month (P < 0.001, R = 0.62). Through two-dimensional nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and cluster analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity index, assemblages were alienated into two groups at a value of 42% and 28% partition for station and month, respectively. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) recognized considerable relations between a number of fishes and hydrological parameters where dissolved oxygen (mg/l) and water temperature (oC) were the main leading factors in shaping fish assemblage structure.

Diversity, Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Fishes in Gilo River and its Nearby Wetlands in Akobo District, Gambella Region, Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a rich diversity of ichthyofauna in its lakes, rivers and reservoirs. This study was conducted to identify fish species composition, estimate relative abundance, and assess length–weight relationship and condition factor for the dominant fish species in Gilo River and its nearby wetlands in Akobo district, Gambella Region, Ethiopia. Baro River in Gambella region is documented as the most diverse in fish species. Besides this, its nearby wetlands, tributaries and lakes which are expected to have rich fish species are least explored for their fish diversity. Samples were collected from selected sites using gill nets of various mesh sizes and hooks and lines. Fish sampling was done twice in dry season (December, 2016 and March, 2017) and twice in wet season (May and June, 2017). A total of 911 specimens were collected. These were identified into 27 species, 21 genera, 17 families and five orders. The Shannon diversity index (2.28) of fish species was higher in river than in wetlands (1.85); the same is true for the index of evenness for river (0.69) was also higher than the wetlands (0.67). The length-weight relationship of most of the species evaluated demonstrated positive allometric growth. Seasonal variations in the mean FCF of the most dominant species were statistically insignificant (p>0.05) except for Clarias gariepinus and Citharinus citharus. All the species identified in this study are new report to Gilo River and its nearby wetlands representing a baseline data for the study area. Anthropogenic activities i.e. fishing, farming, construction and other domestic activities were observed in the study sites. Plausible management options have to be encouraged to ensure sustainable utilization of the fisheries resources of the study area.

Have Niche, Will Travel. New Means of Linking Diet and Ecomorphology Reveals Niche Conservatism in Freshwater Cottoid Fishes.

SynopsisEvolutionary transitions between habitats have been catalysts for some of the most stunning examples of adaptive diversification, with novel niches and new resources providing ecological opportunity for such radiations. In aquatic animals, transitions from saltwater to freshwater habitats are rare, but occur often enough that in the Neotropics for example, marine-derived fishes contribute noticeably to regional ichthyofaunal diversity. Here, we investigate how morphology has evolved in a group of temperate fishes that contain a marine to freshwater transition: the sculpins (Percomorpha; Cottoidea). We devised a novel method for classifying dietary niche and relating functional aspects of prey to their predators. Coupled with functional measurements of the jaw apparatus in cottoids, we explored whether freshwater sculpins have fundamentally changed their niche after invading freshwater (niche lability) or if they retain a niche similar to their marine cousins (niche conservatism). Freshwater sculpins exhibit both phylogeographical and ecological signals of phylogenetic niche conservatism, meaning that regardless of habitat, sculpins fill similar niche roles in either saltwater or freshwater. Rather than competition guiding niche conservatism in freshwater cottoids, we argue that strong intrinsic constraints on morphological and ecological evolution are at play, contra to other studies of diversification in marine-derived freshwater fishes. However, several intertidal and subtidal sculpins as well as several pelagic freshwater species from Lake Baikal show remarkable departures from the typical sculpin bauplan. Our method of prey categorization provides an explicit, quantitative means of classifying dietary niche for macroevolutionary studies, rather than relying on somewhat arbitrary means used in previous literature.

Structure and diversity of fish communities in man-made ponds of the Niger Delta (southern Nigeria)

Abstract 1. A survey of eight local earthen hand-dug ponds located within the freshwater swamps of a Niger Delta area (southern Nigeria) was conducted over a period of 3 months. A total of 4,313 fishes representing 19 species from 12 families were recorded. 2. The most abundant species was Xenomystus nigri (905 individuals), whereas the least common was Protopterus annectens (13). Cichlidae and Clariidae counted three species each, whereas Anabantidae, Hepsetidae, Mochokidae, Protopteridae, Phractolaemidae, Malapteruridae and Gymnarchidae were represented by a single species each. 3. A lotic species, Synodontis sp., was recorded possibly as a result of the episodic flood of 2012. 4. The Engenni swamps harbour a moderately diverse ichthyofauna. Regulations should be put in place to further enhance the fisheries potential of these local ponds.

A brief report on ichthyofaunal diversity of Dewmai khola of Ilam district, Nepal

Fish diversity of Nepal has been poorly studied or understood relative to other fauna, so a lot of study is still required to have a better fish diversity profile. We investigated ichthyofaunal diversity on one of the unexplored rivers, Dewmai Khola which lies in mid-hill region of Ilam district in eastern Nepal. Fishes were collected from three sampling sites in day time by using a cast net with the help of local fisherman. The field visits were performed from December2015 to September 2016. A total of 16 fish species belonging to 3 orders, 6 families and 11genera have been recorded. The Cypriniformes was the dominant order represented by 3families: 1) Cyprinidae with 7 species (Cirrhinus mrigala, Barilius barila, B. bendelisis, Bengalaelanga, Danio aequipinnatus, Schizothoraichthys labiatus and Garra gotyla), 2) Cobitidae with5 species (Schistura multifasciatus, S. horai, S. scaturigina, S. savona and S. rupecula) and3) Psilorhynchidae with a single species Psilorhynchus pseudecheneis. The Perciformes was represented by two families with a single species in each: Belontidae (Colisa fasciatus) and Channidae (Channa stewartii). The Siluriformes was represented by a single family Sisoridae with a single species Glyptothorax pectinopterus.

Study of indigenous freshwater fish diversity of Bankura (West Bengal), India with special reference to Clarias batrachus

A study was conducted to determine the ichthyofaunal diversity in Bankura district of West Bengal. The area is traversed by major and minor rivers, feeder channels, numerous ponds, bills, reservoirs which have made this drought-trodden district as the highest producer of aquatic products within the state. Field survey was conducted in randomly selected local markets covering twenty-two blocks of Bankura. Fish sampling was carried out using various conventional fishing gears. The entire region harbours a wide variety of aquatic fishes. A total number of 92 indigenous fish species belonging to 30 families were identified during this study. The Cyprinidae family dominated the population with its 36 varieties followed by Channidae, Siluridae and Bagridae. Sonamukhi block situated in Shali basin; Sarenga and Raipur of Kangsabati basin; Dwarkeshwar and seven bundhs- enriched Bishnupur were the major habitats of small indigenous fishes. This paper also denotes presence of 12 globally endemic freshwater fish species viz. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Cyprinus carpio, Labeo nandina, Tor khudree, Chitala chitala, Bagarius bagarius, Wallago attu, Ompok pabda, Ailia coila, Anguilla bengalensis, Parambassis lala, Oreochromis mossambicus. The substitution of native Clarias batrachus with invasive African catfish C. gariepinus was observed in various local markets. Some traders even promote illicit farming of this banned species for their own profit. As a consequence, the indigenous, nutritionally-enriched C. batrachus is becoming more endangered.

Flowing into the unknown: inferred paleodrainages for studying the ichthyofauna of Brazilian coastal rivers

ABSTRACT The eastern coastal basins of Brazil are a series of small and isolated rivers that drain directly into the Atlantic Ocean. During the Pleistocene, sea-level retreat caused by glaciations exposed the continental shelf, resulting in enlarged paleodrainages that connected rivers that are isolated today. Using Geographic Information System (GIS), we infer the distribution of these paleodrainages, and their properties for the east Brazilian coast. Specifically, using elevation/bathymetric data for the largest sea-level retreats during the Pleistocene, the paleodrainages, their area and the number of contemporary basins connected by each palaeodrainage, was inferred. For the 145 inferred paleodrainages, total paleodrainage area is strongly correlated with the contemporary area encompassed by each paleodrainage, as well as with the number of contemporary basins encompassed by a paleodrainage. Differences in the continental shelf exposure along the coast affected the degree of past connectivity among contemporary rivers. With our results freely available, we discuss how paleodrainages have tremendous utility in biological studies, especially in regions with limited geologic data. With respect to the diverse ichthyofauna of the Brazilian coast, and its high endemism, we highlight how the inferred paleodrainages provide a backdrop to test hypotheses about the effect of past riverine connectivity on diversity patterns.

Ichthyofaunal Biodiversity of Kharakuva Fish Market, Veraval, Gujarat, India

The coastline of Gujarat is 1, 600 km long and salt marshes, sand-belts and gravel patches mark the topography. During the present study, total 94 finfish and 26 shellfish species belonging to 62 families and 18 orders were identified fromthe Kharakuva Fish market of Veraval Taluka from Gir-Somanth district of Gujarat, India. Data were collected with the help of local skilled fishermen and fish farmers from different locations of the different area for August, 2017 to March, 2018 on the ichthyofaunal diversity of Veraval coast, Gujarat. Identification of fishes was based on fresh or preserved specimens. They were identified by using standard taxonomic keys. The collected fish were identified up to species level. During the present study there were 94 finfish species under 14 order and 52 families, whereas 26 shellfish species belonging to 4 orders and 10 families were reported. Among the finfishes order Perciformes while in case of shellfishes order Decapoda represents abundance in landing. In case of family wise contribution Carangidae contributes a greater number of finfish species and family Penaeidae contributes a greater number of shellfish species. The price structure reported that shellfish fetches good value than that of finfish. Among finfish Protonibea diacanthus (Jew fish) and among the shellfish lobsters viz., Penulirus homarus and P. ornatus (Spiny lobster) fetches the highest price.

Multi-cluster analysis of Crabs and Ichthyofaunal Diversity in relation to habitat distribution at Tropical Mangrove ecosystem of the Indian Sundarbans

Mangroves have enormous ecological significance and socio-economic importance as promising hub for tropical marine and estuarine biotope. Therefore, mangroves are considered one of the world’s richest resources of biological and genetic diversity. Although, crabs and fishes significantly occur among the other macrofauna of the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, supportive information on resource and diversity of mangrove’s macrofauna are insufficient due to their non judicious exploitation in unscientific ways. Concerning that, the present survey based experimental research find out the localized endemic composition and bio-distribution of crabs and estuarine fish species which are prevalent in the tropical Sundarbans mangrove systems. A special drive has also been taken to characterize the variation of such species in course of spatial and environmental changing scenario. The consequences of this research concluded a total 115 numbers of crab species and 312 numbers of brackish and marine water fish species were available at Sundarbans. Which are identified, categorically assessed showing their predominant positions in the localized mangrove-associated estuary of 17 different specified clusters or survey areas. Apart from that, the Multivariate Cluster Analysis was performed on the available fish and crab diversity, up to the Family and Species level following their present conservation status.

Hidden Diversity Hampers Conservation Efforts in a Highly Impacted Neotropical River System.

Neotropical Rivers host a highly diverse ichthyofauna, but taxonomic uncertainty prevents appropriate conservation measures. The Doce River Basin (DRB), lying within two Brazilian threatened hotspots (Atlantic Forest and Brazilian Savanna) in south-east Brazil, faced the worst ever environmental accident reported for South American catchments, due to a dam collapse that spread toxic mining tailings along the course of its main river. Its ichthyofauna was known to comprise 71 native freshwater fish species, of which 13 endemic. Here, we build a DNA barcode library for the DRB ichthyofauna, using samples obtained before the 2015 mining disaster, in order to provide a more robust biodiversity record for this basin, as a baseline for future management actions. Throughout the whole DRB, we obtained a total of 306 barcodes, assigned to 69 putative species (with a mean of 4.54 barcodes per species), belonging to 45 genera, 18 families, and 5 orders. Average genetic distances within species, genus, and families were 2.59, 11.4, and 20.5%, respectively. The 69 species identified represent over 76% of the known DRB ichthyofauna, comprising 43 native (five endemic, of which three threatened by extinction), 13 already known introduced species, and 13 unknown species (such as Characidium sp., Neoplecostomus sp., and specimens identified only at the sub-family level Neoplecostominae, according to morphological identification provided by the museum collections). Over one fifth of all analyzed species (N = 16) had a mean intraspecific genetic divergence higher than 2%. An integrative approach, combining NND (nearest neighbor distance), BIN (barcode index number), ABGD (automatic barcode gap discovery), and bPTP (Bayesian Poisson Tree Processes model) analyses, suggested the occurrence of potential cryptic species, species complex, or historical errors in morphological identification. The evidence presented calls for a more robust, DNA-assisted cataloging of biodiversity-rich ecosystems, in order to enable effective monitoring and informed actions to preserve and restore these delicate habitats.

KERAGAMAN IKTIOFAUNA MUARA SUNGAI CIMANUK, INDRAMAYU, JAWA BARAT

Cimanuk river, which the estuary formed a delta, is a habitat for many fishes that occupied the water in northern coast of Ja va. The estuary is essential for supporting the fish life cycle. The aim of this study was to asscess the diversity of ichthyo fauna in Cima nuk River estuary. The fishes were collected in three months from July to September 2013 at three locations: Pagirikan, Pabean Ilir and Song. Total fish collected were 1,826 individuals, consisted of 103 species from 41 families and 14 orders. Most of them were from Family Ambassidae,Leiognathidae, Scianidae, Gobiidae, and Ariidae.

Checklist of fishes of the Bakhira Tal and their conservation status

The present study was carried out to assess the ichthyofaunal diversity of Bakhira Tal, a natural wetland in the district Sant Kabir Nagar of Uttar Pradesh. A total of 31 species belonging to 23 genera, 9 orders and 21 families were recorded. Maximum number of species recorded was from the Order Cypriniformes (32.25%), which was followed by Perciformes (25.80%), Siluriformes (16.12%), Ophiocephaliformes (9.67%), Beloniformes (3.22%), Cyprinidontiformes (3.22%), Symbranchiformes (3.22%), Mastacembeleformes (3.22%) and Tetraodontiformes (3.22%). Most of the species recorded in the present study were under Least Concern (29) and two species namely &lt;em&gt;Wallago attu&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ailia coila&lt;/em&gt; were found to be under Near Threatened Category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Evidence of hidden diversity and taxonomic conflicts in five stream fishes from the Eastern Zimbabwe Highlands freshwater ecoregion.

Stream fishes of the Eastern Afromontane region are among the least studied vertebrates in this region, despite the potential for harbouring cryptic diversity. The present study examined mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence divergence in 153 specimens of stream fishes belonging to four genera and three families, [(Amphilius and Zaireichthys (Amphiliidae); Chiloglanis (Mochokidae); and Hippopotamyrus (Mormyridae)], in the Eastern Zimbabwe Highlands (EZH) freshwater ecoregion to explore the extent to which the current taxonomy conceals the ichthyofaunal diversity in the region. The General Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) species delineation method identified 14 clusters within five currently recognised ‘species’ from the EZH ecoregion. Only one of these clusters represents a named species, while 13 of them represent candidate or undescribed species. Our results revealed that effective conservation of this region’s unique biota is limited by the incomplete knowledge of taxonomic diversity and inaccurate mapping of species distribution ranges.

DNA barcoding of some commonly exploited fishes from the northern Western Ghats, India

The Western Ghats, being very rich in freshwater fish diversity, has recently been confirmed as a globallysignificant centre of diversity and endemism for freshwater species and comprise one of the 34 global biodiversityhotspots. Owing to its extreme ichthyofaunal diversity, the present study was designed to generate cytochromeoxidase I (COI) DNA barcodes for the identification of some commonly exploited fishes from the west-flowingrivers of northern Western Ghats. Twenty-three fish specimens representing 6 families and 10 species were barcodedfrom the major west-flowing rivers of the northern Western Ghats. The obtained barcodes discriminated all thespecies with sufficient barcode gap. The average Kimura two parameter (K2P) values for within species, the genusand family distances were 0.37, 17.74 and 18.51% respectively. The neighbour-joining tree revealed distinct clusterscorresponding to the taxonomic status of the species. Generated barcodes are expected to provide the much-neededbaseline reference for the ichthyofaunal biodiversity of the global biodiversity hotspot.