Telton Pedro Anselmo Ramos

Fish fauna of Pratagi River coastal microbasin, extreme north Atlantic Forest, Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern Brazil

The purpose of this study was to inventory the ichthyofauna of the coastal Pratagi River basin, located on the east coast of the state, region with intense tourist activities. A total of 2,181 specimens were collected, from August 2011 to August 2013, using sieves, trawls, cast nets, traps and gillnets. Additionally, two species ( Centropomus sp. and Lutjanus alexandrei ) have only been recorded through underwater observations, summing 22 species and genera, 18 families and nine orders. Along the Pratagi drainage some human impacts were identified, mainly related to tourist activities, such as removal of riparian vegetation and sedimentation caused by the passage of vehicles on dunes. Species richness was lower near the most visited places and greater in the lower portion of the basin, due to the presence of estuarine and marine species. Apparently, a set of small waterfalls act as a barrier to some fish species, both upstream and downstream.

Inter- and intra-basin phenotypic variation in two riverine cichlids from northeastern Brazil: potential eco-evolutionary damages of São Francisco interbasin water transfer

Intraspecific morphological variation can be generated by a set of historical and ecological processes, and can be induced by anthropogenic actions. One such activity that has large-scale environmental impacts in freshwater environments is interbasin water transfer. Brazil’s Mid-Northeastern Caatinga freshwater ecoregion is going through an interbasin diversion that will link waters from São Francisco ecoregion with the four major basins of Mid-Northeastern Caatinga. Here, we aimed to evaluate the morphological variation of two cichlids, Cichlasoma orientale and Crenicichla menezesi, from both ecoregions and test, whether this morphological variation is related to historical isolation among basins and/or to local water flow regimes, through mtDNA (cytb) and geometric morphometric approaches. Our results showed, for both species, significant morphological differences among basins. However, the comparisons between genetic and morphological differences among basins were not significant. Additionally, a significant shared morphological pattern between species (body depth and mouth position) among different habitats was found. These results reinforce a potential role of environmental pressures upon fish morphology, possibly through phenotypic plasticity. The evolutionary role of morphological responses in freshwater fish populations—especially in variable environments—is discussed, as well as the potential eco-evolutionary damages that might result from the artificial river connection.

Ichthyofauna of the Gurgueia River, Parnaíba River basin, northeastern Brazil

The Gurgueia River in southern Piaui state, Brazil, is the largest affluent on the right margin of the Parnaiba River basin. This study aimed to inventory the Gurgueia River ichthyofauna, and contribute to the knowledge of fish diversity in Northeastern Brazil. We sampled 71 locations throughout the Gurgueia sub-basin between 2006 and 2014, which resulted in 90 fish species representing 67 genera, 26 families and six orders, including two non-native species. Six species are newly recorded for the Parnaiba basin ( Hasemania nana, Hemigrammus brevis, H. guyanensis, H. ora, Corydoras sp. and Cetopsorhamdia sp.), increasing its freshwater ichthyofauna to 152 species. The Gurgueia River contains 59.2% of the ichthyofauna known for the Parnaiba basin, and can be used as a reference point for the establishment of priority areas for the conservation of the freshwater fish fauna of the Brazilian Northeast.

Parotocinclus seridoensis, a new hypoptopomatine catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Piranhas-Açu basin, northeastern Brazil

A new species of Parotocinclus is described from the upper rio Piranhas-Acu basin, northeastern Brazil. The new species differs from all its congeners, except P. bidentatus, P. muriaensis (both from rio Paraiba do Sul basin, southeastern Brazil), and P. spilurus (rio Jaguaribe basin, northeastern Brazil) by presenting the adipose fin rudimentary or absent. The new species differs from P. bidentatus, P. muriaensis, and P. spilurus mainly by presenting the abdomen region extensively naked, with few reduced rounded dermal platelets between the pectoral girdle and the anus. Parotocinclus seridoensis is probably an endemic species of the semi-arid Caatinga, region where the genus presents high species richness.

First record of Kryptolebias hermaphroditus Costa, 2011 (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) in the extreme north Atlantic Forest mangroves, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil

This study records the first occurrence of Kryptolebias hermaphroditus Costa, 2011 in canals or perennial salty water pools in two mangroves of the Rio Grande do Norte state, in the estuaries of Ceara-Mirim River and Curimatau River. Due to its hermaphroditism and self-fertilization, a unique feature among vertebrates, this species is very important for many biological areas. Kryptolebias hermaphroditus depends on favorable conditions for their development, therefore, human impacts such as shrimp farming and removal of native vegetation from mangroves may affect populations of this species in northeastern Brazil.

Hypostomus sertanejo (Siluriformes: Loricariidae), new armoured catfish species from north‐eastern Brazil

A re-evaluation of the armoured catfish species of Hypostomus in the Rio Jaguaribe, north-eastern Brazil, was prompted by the discovery of specimens with pale spots on a dark background collected from that basin c. 1936 and deposited at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Recent field collections in the Rio Jarguaribe basin confirmed the presence of the pale-spotted specimens and its distinctiveness as a new species. Hypostomus sertanejo n. sp. is diagnosed from other species of Hypostomus by having fins and dermal-plated regions of head and body with pale spots or vermiculations on darker background, teeth slender, asymmetrically bicuspid and numerous (34-75) on dentary and premaxilla, depressed dorsal-fin spine not reaching adipose spine, unbranched pectoral-fin spine longer than unbranched pelvic-fin ray, seven branched dorsal-fin rays and one (rarely two) predorsal plate(s) bordering supraoccipital. Ancistrus salgadae Fowler 1941 is hypothesized to be a junior synonym of Hypostomus carvalhoi (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937), a dark-spotted Hypostomus described from the Rio Granjeiro, a tributary to the upper Rio Salgado.

Redescription of the endangered hypoptopomatine catfish Parotocinclus spilurus (Fowler, 1941) (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the upper rio Jaguaribe basin, northeastern Brazil

Parotocinclus spilurus (Fowler) was originally described as a species of Plecostomus based on six specimens collected in the rio Salgado, Ico Municipality, Ceara State, northeastern Brazil. Because the original description of P. spilurus is brief and uninformative, a detailed redescription of this endangered species based on the type series and on freshly collected topotypes was made. Data on osteology, intraspecific variation, sexual dimorphism and color pattern in life are presented for the first time, aiming at providing the necessary characters to differentiate the species from its congeners, as well as providing data on the distribution, habitat and conservation.

Ichthyofauna of Ceará-Mirim River basin, Rio Grande do Norte State, northeastern Brazil

Abstract Ichthyological studies in coastal basins of the Mid-Northeastern Caatinga ecoregion were first conducted in the early 20th century, including collections from the Ceará-Mirim River basin, in northeastern Brazil. Besides a few systematics and ecological studies, the knowledge on fishes from this watershed is still considered partial and restricted to the freshwater portion. Thus, the objective of this paper was to conduct a comprehensive ichthyological survey of the entire Ceará-Mirim River basin, from the headwaters to the estuarine area. Fish surveys were conducted from 2011 to 2016 using varied fishing gear, resulting in the record of 63 native species (24 freshwater, 15 estuarine, and 24 marine species) and two introduced species. Four species are putatively endemic to the ecoregion, and 48 consist of new records for the basin. According to the Brazilian’s threatened fish list, three species are currently classified as ‘vulnerable’ (Megalops atlanticus, Hippocampus reidi and Mycteroperca bonaci), four as ‘near threatened’ (Kryptolebias hermaphroditus, Dormitator maculatus, Lutjanus sygnagris and L. jocu) and three as ‘data deficient’ (Cheirodon jaguaribensis, Mugil curema and Sphoeroides testudineus). The Ceará-Mirim River basin does not have any protected areas and has been suffering multiple anthropogenic impacts, however the Centro Tecnológico de Aquicultura (Aquaculture Technological Center) of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (CTA/UFRN) at the lower portion of the basin may help in the conservation of the estuarine and estuarine fish species.

Ichthyofauna of the Reserva Biológica Guaribas and surrounding areas, state of Paraíba, Brazil

The removal and management of the Atlantic Forest over the past centuries caused the destruction of most of this ecosystem. Among the few remaining areas of Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River is the Reserva Biológica (REBIO) Guaribas. This study inventoried the ichthyofauna of the REBIO Guaribas (Mamanguape, Paraíba) and its surroundings. Two streams were sampled bimonthly (1 within the REBIO and the other adjacent to it) and another 11 additional sites were sampled once, resulting in 18 species of fish (7 families and 7 orders). Characiformes was the most representative order, with12 species. This species list is an important tool for impact assessments as well as conservation and management plans, given the current state of knowledge about Brazilian rivers and streams, especially those of the northeastern Atlantic Forest.

Updated checklist and DNA barcode-based species delimitations reveal taxonomic uncertainties among freshwater fishes from the mid-north-eastern Caatinga ecoregion, north-eastern Brazil

The mid-north-eastern Caatinga is a semiarid freshwater ecoregion in North-eastern Brazil that is dominated by temporary rivers and is currently classified as one of the least ichthyologically-known ecoregions in the world. The present study aimed to provide an updated checklist of mid-north-eastern Caatinga ecoregion (MNCE) freshwater fish species and evaluate their taxonomic identity using morphology, DNA barcoding and multiple species delimitation approaches. After reviewing published studies and ichthyological collections, 119 species were identified. Among these were 94 putatively valid native and 14 non-native species, five undescribed native species, four new records for the MNCE, 11 potential cases of misidentification and 14 species listed as inquirenda. Additionally, 252 individuals from 49 species were barcoded, revealing three potential taxonomic synonyms. The combined molecular approaches estimated a total of 91 native species, although a finalized species list for the MNCE awaits additional taxonomic revisions and field surveys. This study provides the most up-to-date species checklist for the MNCE and a molecular reference database for identifying MNCE fishes with DNA barcodes. Results highlight the need to integrate traditional taxonomy with molecular approaches to correctly identify species, especially in taxonomically problematic ecoregions such as the MNCE.