River flooding and reproduction of migratory fish species in the Magdalena River basin, Colombia

Abstract

In most tropical rivers subject to a single-yearly flooding, migratory fish usually spawn in the onset of the flooding and larvae drift to their nursery habitats. To define when the migratory fish species reproduce, its relationship with the water level and when nursery areas in floodplain lakes are supplied with ichthyoplankton in the Magdalena River, a twoyearly peak flooding river, we sampled the ichthyoplankton weekly throughout 2 years. The fish species Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum, Prochilodus magdalenae, Leporinus muyscorum, Sorubim cuspicaudus and Curimata mivartii spawn twice a year in the main channel and its larvae input into the floodplain lakes are not always associated with flooding. Spawning in the main channel and larvae inputs into the floodplain lakes suggest that the habitat used by the migratory fishes may be consistent with some hypotheses on habitats used by these fishes.

Population structure and reproduction of a migratory fish Leporinus piau (Characiformes: Anostomidae) in a semiarid tropical reservoir, Brazil

“…Filho et al (2012) and Nascimento et al (2013) estimated that the reproductive period of L. piau in the reservoir of Marechal Dutra (RN) occurred between April and June. L. friderici in the Upper Paraná River basin presented a reproductive period between October and April (2000), L. reinhardti in the São Francisco River presented a reproductive period between November and February (Weber et al, 2013), and L. muyscorum in the Magdalena River Basin (Colombia) presented a reproductive period between April and June (Jimenez-Segura, Palacio, & Leite, 2010). In all of these studies, the reproductive period of the Leporinus species occurred during the period of highest rainfall.…”

Environmental characterization of the reproductive season of migratory fish of the Sinú river (Córdoba, Colombia)

“…Jiménez-Segura et al (4) sugieren que en el río Magdalena durante los dos ciclos hidrológicos anuales (2004-2005) la Dl se incrementó cuando se presentó reducción del brillo solar, incremento de la nubosidad, incremento de la pluviosidad y fluctuación del nivel del agua sincronizados con momentos específicos de bajo brillo lunar (4). En el alto río Uruguay (Brasil), la abundancia de huevos y larvas presentó una marcada variación estacional, relacionada con los mayores valores de flujo y temperatura del agua y los menores valores de oxígeno disuelto, pH y transparencia (3).…”

“…Jimenez-Segura et al (4), also reported that 64% of the ichthyoplankton of the Magdalena river belong to the migratory fish group of the Characiformes order (P. magdalenae, Leporinus muyscorum, Curimata mivartii, Salminus affinis and Brycon sp.) and Siluriformes (Pimelodus spp., Pseudoplatystoma magdaleniatum, S. cuspicaudus).…”

“…Jiménez-Safe et al (4) suggest that in the Magdalena river during both annual hydrologic cycles (2004)(2005), Dl increased when a reduction in solar brilliant, an increase in cloudiness, an increase in rainfall and a fluctuation of synchronized water appeared with specific moments of low lunar brightness (4). In the upper part of the Uruguay river (Brazil), the abundance of eggs and larva showed a strong seasonal variation related to the higher flow values and water temperature as well as lower dissolved oxygen values, pH and transparency (3).…”

“…In tropical atmospheres, the increase in water level, precipitation and electrical conductivity are considered key factors in fish reproduction (4). Jimenez-Segura et al (4) found that in the Magdalena river, the initial and proximate stimuli, which determine the start of the gonad maturity, were high solar illumination and high water temperatures during shallow water periods; while final or last factors, which determined the courtship and mating, were the reduction of solar illumination, as a result of the increase in cloudiness and the reduction of the temperature during high and rising water periods.…”