Ichthyofauna sampled with tadpoles in northeastern Maranhão state, Brazil

Abstract

The Neotropic region has high fish diversity associated with freshwater habitats. However, for Maranhão state, most publications on the ichthyofauna concentrate on coastal or estuarine ecosystems. In this study, species of fish were sampled in lentic and lotic habitats in Cerrado areas (Cerradão phytophysiognomy) and in restinga areas (Atlantic Forest phytophysiognomy) in northeastern Maranhão state between January and July 2010. Thirteen species from 10 families and 6 orders were captured. Species richness was highest for the orders Characiformes and Gymnotiformes. Our results are the first records of the ichthyofauna of coastal drainage areas of northeastern Maranhão state, contributing to the understanding of the biodiversity of the Munim and Parnaíba River basins, and suggest the existence of a community that shares elements with those of the Amazon and Caatinga biomes.

Freshwater fishes of the Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses and adjacent areas

“…However, in terms of recorded biodiversity, we have a substantial number of species from these two basins. The 49 species herein recorded represent three times the number of freshwater species (13) reported by Matavelli et al (2015) for the Munim, Parnaíba and other smaller coastal river basins, as well as more than twice the number of species (20) reported by Ribeiro et al (2014) for the Munim river basin. It has just 11 species less than the number of species (60) reported by Soares (2013) for the Mearim river basin; just 20 species less than the number of species (69) reported by Barros et al (2011), and 15 species less than the survey (64) performed by Nascimento et al (2016), respectively, for the Itapecuru river basin, one of the major coastal river basins of this ecoregion; and just 16 species less than the inventory (65) published by Melo et al (2016) for the Parnaíba river basin, the major coastal river basin of the Maranhão-Piauí ecoregion and one of the main river basins of Brazil.…”

A new species of Charax (Ostariophysi, Characiformes, Characidae) from northeastern Brazil

“…Soares 2005, Barros et al 2011, Ribeiro et al 2014, Ramos et al 2014, Matavelli et al 2015, Melo et al 2017, Piorski et al 2017). The present study is an example of this state of knowledge.…”

“…Studies on range extension and new records of some freshwater fishes from the area between the mouth of Rio Gurupi and Delta do Rio Parnaíba (e.g. Barros et al 2011, Matavelli et al 2015, Guimarães et al 2017a, 2017b, as well as the description of new species (cited above), suggest that the biogeographic history of the river basins of the region is complex and still poorly known. This region is an extremely ecologically relevant area since it comprises three of the main Brazilian biomes, as well as, transition zones between them: Amazônia, Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga.…”

Extension of the distribution of Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes, 1840) (Siluriformes, Callichthyidae) to the basin of the Itapecuru River, northeastern Brazil

“…No records of the species were obtained during previous studies in this basin (Barros et al 2011, Fraga et al 2012, nor in neighboring basins in the Brazilian Northeast, including those of the São Francisco (Carvalho et al 2011), Parnaíba or Munim rivers (Ramos et al 2014, Matavelli et al 2015. Megalechis thoracata had nevertheless been recorded in the Mearim basin, by Soares (2005).…”