Weferson Júnio da Graça

Two New Species of Characidium (Characiformes: Crenuchidae) from Paraguay and Xingu River Basins. State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract Characidium nupelia, new species, is described from the upper Rio Paraguay basin, and C. xavante, new species, from the upper Rio Xingu basin, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The two species comprise a group diagnosed by a high number (12–18) of dark vertical bars on the body, each bar having the width of a scale. Characidium nupelia differs from C. xavante by having 12 instead of 10 scales around the caudal peduncle, a narrower interorbital distance, and a deeper caudal peduncle. Both species lack an adipose fin, have an incomplete lateral line, and have a conspicuous dark blotch on the caudal peduncle. Breeding males of the two new species present sexual hooks on some pelvic and pectoral branched fin rays. Characidium nupelia, nova espécie, é descrita da bacia do alto rio Paraguai, e C. xavante, nova espécie, da bacia do alto rio Xingu, Estado do Mato Grosso, Brasil. As duas espécies formam um grupo diagnosticado pelo elevado número (12–18) de barras verticais escuras no corpo, cada barra com a largura de uma escama. Characidium nupelia difere de C. xavante por apresentar 12 ao invés de 10 escamas circumpedunculares, distância interorbital menor e pedúnculo caudal mais alto. Ambas têm nadadeira adiposa ausente, linha lateral incompleta e uma mancha escura conspícua no pedúnculo caudal. Machos maduros das duas espécies novas apresentam ganchos sexuais em alguns raios ramificados das nadadeiras pélvica e peitoral.

Fish, Toledo urban streams, São Francisco Verdadeiro River drainage, upper Paraná River basin, state of Paraná, Brazil

In the Toledo metropolitan area there are many small headwater streams which suffer the influence of the urban development (pollution, deforestation, introduction of non-native species). The list of fish species in these sites is important for the knowledge on biodiversity in similar environments. Samples were taken bimonthly from October 2007 to February 2009 in three sites (headwater, middle and mouth) along of the three streams within urbanization gradient in the city of Toledo. A total of 27 fish species ascribed to 18 Genera, six Orders and 11 Families were collected, among which four species are non-native species, and seven are probably new to the science.

Fishes from the Corumbá Reservoir, Paranaíba River drainage, upper Paraná River basin, State of Goiás, Brazil

The Corumba Reservoir is located in Corumba River, a tributary to the right bank of Paranaiba River, upper Parana River basin. Fish were collected monthly, from March 1996 to February 2000, in 17 sampling stations along Corumba Reservoir and its influence area, using gill nets, casting nets, electrofishing and long lines. Considering the entire period, 119 fish species were colleted, which belong to seven Orders, 26 Families, and 78 Genera. Among them, five species are considered endemic to Corumba River basin, and 17 are probably new to the science.

Fish, Maringá Urban Streams, Pirapó river drainage, upper Paraná river basin, Paraná State, Brazil

The metropolitan area of Maringa, Parana state (southeastern Brazil), has many small headwater streams that are affected by urban development. Checklists of fish species in these sites are important tools to learn about the biodiversity of impacted environments. Samples were taken every two months from July 2007 to June 2008 in three different sites along 10 small headwater streams in Maringa city within a gradient of urbanization. A total of 38 fish species ascribed to six orders, 12 families, and 27 genera were collected, including six non-native species, and 14 that are probably new species.

Characidium xanthopterum (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Crenuchidae): a new species from the Central Brazilian Plateau

Characidium xanthopterum is described from tributaries of the upper rio Parana and upper rio Tocantins basins, in the Central Brazilian Plateau, Goias State, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed among congeners by the absence of dark bars on the sides of the body in adult specimens, and by the deep yellow coloration in all fins. Ontogenetic change of color pattern is recorded for the first time for Characidium species. Specimens smaller than 32 mm SL possess dark bars on body. These bars disappear with growth between 32 and 35 mm SL, and are always absent in individuals larger than 35 mm SL.

Characidium heirmostigmata, a new characidiin fish (Characiformes: Crenuchidae) from the upper rio Paraná basin, Brazil

Characidium heirmostigmata new species is described from the rio Ivai drainage, upper rio Parana basin, Parana State, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed among its congeners by the possession of eight to 11 incomplete oblique dark bars on the body sides, extending upwards and downwards from the lateral line, independently of the eight or nine dorsal transverse bars usually present in species of Characidium. The new species is similar to Characidium serrano from the upper rio Uruguay basin, but differs by meristic and morphometric traits.

A New Jenynsia Species (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes, Anablepidae) from Southern Brazil and its Phylogenetic Position

Abstract A new species of the genus Jenynsia from southern Brazil is described. The analyses of character states, primarily osteological, support the new species as belonging to the subgenus Plesiojenynsia. A new hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships for the genus, including the new taxon, is presented. The new species, from the Rio Iguaçu drainage in the Brazilian state of Paraná, is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: absence of mandibular canal pore W, long epiotic processes in adults, ten anal-fin rays, discontinuous midlateral and dorsolateral stripes formed by series of blotches on body, midlateral stripe discontinuous anterior to dorsal-fin origin, large third hypobranchial, and presence of teeth on fourth ceratobranchial of adults. Uma nova espécie do gênero Jenynsia do sul do Brasil é descrita. As análises de estados de caracteres, principalmente osteológicos, suportam a nova espécie como pertencente ao subgênero Plesiojenynsia. Apresenta-se uma nova hipótese de relações filogenéticas para o gênero, incluindo o novo táxon. A nova espécie, da bacia do Rio Iguaçu no Estado do Paraná, é diagnosticada pela seguinte combinação de caracteres: ausência do poro W do canal mandibular; processos epióticos longos nos adultos, dez raios na nadadeira anal; faixas dorso-lateral e mediano-lateral descontínuas e formadas por uma série de máculas nos flancos; faixa mediano-lateral descontínua anterior a origem da nadadeira dorsal; terceiro hipobranquial grande; e presença de dentes no quarto ceratobranquial dos adultos.

Inventory of the fish fauna from Ivaí River basin, Paraná State, Brazil

We compiled data on fish fauna of the Ivai River basin from recent specialised literature, standardised sampling and records of species deposited in fish collections. There were 118 fish species of eight orders and 29 families. Of these, 100 species are autochthonous (84.8%), 13, allochthonous (11.0%) and five, exotic (4.2%). The main causes for the occurrence of non-native species are escapes from aquaculture, introduction for fishing purposes and the construction of the Itaipu hydroelectric plant. The predominance of small and medium-sized Characiformes and Siluriformes, including 13 species new to science, accounts for approximately 11.0% of all species and 13.0% of all native species. About 10.2% of all species and 12.0% of all native species are endemic to the upper stretch of the Ivai River, isolated by numerous waterfalls in tributary rivers and streams. The Ivai River basin is subjected to various anthropogenic interferences such as pollution, eutrophication, siltation, construction of dams, flood control, fisheries, species introduction and release of fingerlings. These activities raise concerns about biodiversity of Brazilian inland waters especially regarding the fish fauna; the basin of the Ivai River already has species classified in categories of extinction risk: Brycon nattereri and Apareiodon vladii (Vulnerable) and Characidium heirmostigmata and Steindachneridion scriptum (Endangered). The high species richness of native fish, endemism of some, high environmental heterogeneity, high risk of extinction and lack of knowledge of several other species along with the eminent human activities raise the need to enrich the scientific knowledge for future conservation efforts for the studied basin.

Neotropical Siluriformes as a Model for Insights on Determining Biodiversity of Animal Groups.

We performed an analysis of the descriptions of new species of Neotropical Siluriformes (catfishes) to estimate the number of new species that remain to be described for a complete knowledge on biodiversity of this order, to verify the effectiveness of taxonomic support, and to identify trends and present relevant information for future policies. We conducted a literature review of species descriptions between January 1990 and August 2014. The following metadata were recorded from each article: year of publication, number of species, journal and impact factor, family(s) of the described species, number of authors, age of the authors and coauthors, country of the first author’s institution and ecoregion of the type-locality. From accumulation of descriptions, we built an estimate model for number of species remaining to be described. We found 595 described species in 402 articles. The data demonstrated that there has been an increased understanding of the diversity of Siluriformes over the last 25 years in the Neotropical region, although 35% of the species still remain to be described. The model estimated that with the current trends and incentives, the biodiversity will be known in almost seven decades. We have reinforced the idea that greater joint efforts should be made by society and the scientific community to obtain this knowledge in a shorter period of time through enhanced programs for promoting science, training and the advancement of professionals before undiscovered species become extinct. The model built in this study can be used for similar estimates of other groups of animals.

Microglanis carlae, a new species of bumblebee catfish (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) from the río Paraguay basin in Paraguay

, new species, is described from the rio Paraguay basin and distinguished from its congeners by thefollowing combination of characters: paired and anal fins mottled or with thin faint bands, trunk with dark-brown saddles,anterior margin of pectoral spine with serrations retrorse proximally and antrorse distally, tip of pectoral spine as a distinctbony point, continuous portion of lateral line reaching vertical through last dorsal-fin ray, caudal peduncle with irregularlyshaped, faint to dark blotch, maxillary barbel surpassing vertical through dorsal-spine origin, and dark bar on posterior flankcontinuous from base of adipose fin to that of anal fin. The new species is included in the