Check List 8(6): 1085–1088, 2012 © 2012 Check List and Authors Chec List ISSN 1809-127X (available at www.checklist.org.br) Journal of species lists and distribution Ichthyofauna, Uberabinha River (Upper Paranaíba River PECIES S Basin), Triangle Mineiro region, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, OF Brazil ISTS L Wagner Martins Santana Sampaio 1*, Frederico Belei 1, Patrícia Giongo 1 and Willian Lopes Silva 2 1 Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Biologia Animal. CEP 36570-000. Viçosa, MG, Brazil. 2 Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Campus de Rio Paranaíba, CEP 38810-000. Rio Paranaíba, MG, Brazil. * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: The Uberabinha River is a tributary to the Paranaíba River and, up to now, data about its ichthyofauna was hydroelectric dams. The present study sought to survey the ichthyofauna of the Uberabinha River. Samples were collected instill November unknown. 2011 Currently and January the fish 2012 community using gill suffers nets, threatscast nets, due trawls to environmental and sieves. We degradation captured 844and individuals,the construction totaling of environmental impacts caused by human actions. 36 species of fish. This is the first record of fish from the Uberabinha River and is probably an altered assemblage due to Introduction The collections were authorized by IEF (Instituto Estadual Fish fauna inventories are extremely important for de Florestas of Minas Gerais) through the capture license n° 226-11. when considering the speed with which human actions affectunderstanding the water the bodies. diversity Anthropic of Brazilian factors fish,have especiallya greater Fish sampling impact than the mitigative conservation measures in place Two sampling campaigns were carried out at each site, for this group of animals. in November 2011 and January 2012. We used the method Studies about the ichthyofauna of the Upper Paraná of direct sampling with 10 sets of gill nets and trawls with Basin basin are still being further developed (Langeani et al. 2007). Paranaíba River is the main tributary of the installed systematically, ensuring identical collection complex of the Upper Paraná Basin and has the second effortsfive rows for of all hooks sampling arranged stations, for 12 totaling hours. 1,920The nets m2 /Hwere at each site. The other method is considered a random sample, with mostlyhighest belongingdiversity ofto fishthe groupsin the Loricariidae,State of Minas Rivulidae Gerais and(MG). Characidae, In figures, plus approximately 20 exotic species 103 species (Drummond are known, et al. operated 10 times per mesh (2.4 mm and 4 mm). The sieve 2005). The Paranaíba river basin is considered a priority (1the mm) use ofand nets, the trawlsseine (1.30and sieves. x 1.40 Them, 2 fishing mm mesh) nets were operated 20 times at each site. Data analysis etarea al. for2004; conservation Drummond because et al. 2005; of the Nogueira diversity et of al. fish 2010). and complexityEven with all of thishabitats diversity, (Pavanelli there andare Britskitributaries 1999; for Ribeiro which Laboratório de Genética Ecológica e Evolutiva (LAGEEvo), no systematic inventory has been carried out, as is the case The fish collected were analyzed and deposited in the of one of its main tributaries, the Uberabinha River, located near the city of Uberlândia (MG). (Castroat the Universidade et al. 2004; Federal Graça and de Viçosa Pavanelli (UFV) 2007; to be Jerep identified et al. Sá et al. (2003) and Oliveira and Marquis (2002) using specific taxonomic keys and identificationet al. 2012) guides as also emphasize the importance of understanding the biodiversity of the Cerrado and of devising strategies for acoording2007; Oyakawa Reis andet al. Mattox 2003 2009;and Froese Garavello and Pauly 2012. the conservation of the Minas Triangle region, one of the well as by consulting specialists. Classification of species most threatened by industrial and agricultural advances. The specimens were deposited in lots LAGEEvo voucher Consequently, the aim of this study was to conduct an numbersAll fishes 2333 were to weighed, 2411 and measuredfrom 2418 andto 2575. photographed. Results and Discussion Materialsinventory of and the fishMethods in Uberabinha River. Study Site 13 families, 25 genera and 36 species. Families with most Samples were collected at four points in the Uberabinha speciesA total were of 844Loricariidae fish were (Siluriformes) captured, distributed - seven species, among followed by Pimelodidae (Siluriformes), Characidae - Upper Paraná River Basin), two upstream and two downstreamRiver (tributary from to thea smallleft bank hydroelectric of the Paranaíba central, River in each. The relationship between total species richness found Uberlândia, Triangle Mineiro region (Table 1; Figure 1). in(Characiformes) the orders Characiformes and Cichlidae and (Perciformes) Siluriformes corroborates- five species 1085 Sampaio et al. | Ichthyofauna of Uberabinha River, Brazil the species richness of these orders in the studies of Lowe have been portrayed previously in studies of reservoir MCconnell (1999), Pavanelli et al. (2007) and Barletta dynamics (Agostinho et al. 1994; Agostinho et al. 1999). et al. (2010). Other basins such as the Tocantins River- Agostinho et al. (2007) also point out that, immediately in the study of Giongo et al. (2011) also show this after the dams are created, it is common for r-strategist pattern. In this inventory, exotic species accounted for 20% of occupying the new habitats because they are well adapted tospecies, lentic suchenvironments. as minnows and catfishes, to be successful in bass (Cichla monoculus), from the Amazon basin, and the In the present study, some native species of large size tilapiathe captured (Tilapia species, rendalli being and Oreochromisrepresented byniloticus the peacock), from and commercial importance, such as the spotted shovelnose Asia and Africa. The localities with the largest number of (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans exotic species were P1 and P2. This number of exotic species (Pinirampus pirinampu), were captured. The distribution is probably related to the presence of a hydroelectric of these species is considered) widespreadand flat-whiskered in the Paranácatfish reservoir operating in that region. The introduction of River basin since these species can be found in several exotic species in natural communities is a major threat rivers of the basin. In addition, the upper Paraná River to biodiversity, since it causes loss of biodiversity due to has several species in common with the low Paraná River, competition and introgression of native species with the et al. 2009). species of commercial value. Some smaller species such At stations P1 and P2 we also recorded an abundance assuch Schizodon as some migratorynasutus and fish Triportheus(Huber and Rennonematurus 2006) were and offarmed small fish generalist (Souza species such as Astyanax bimaculatus, captured only at points P3 and P4 of the Uberabinha River, Hypostomus sp. and Rhamdia quelen. Changes in in the stretch that still has lotic characteristics. assemblages of larger native fish by small rustic species The fish fauna of the Uberabinha River represents part Table 1. Sampling sites, descriptions of the riparian vegetation and the Uberabinha riverbed. SITES COORDINATES RIPARIAN VEGETATION DESCRIPTION OF THE RIVERBED 18°42’50.73” S Lentic environment with sandy bed. Depth exceeding 10 P1 48°29’22.55” W surroundings are mainly farms with pastures meters. Upstream from small hydroelectric central 18°40’54.41” S Both banks have been cleared of vegetation. The Lentic environment with sandy bed. Depth exceeding 10 P2 48°30’6.34” W surroundings are mainly farms with pastures meters. Upstream from small hydroelectric central 18°40’43.96” S Both banks have been cleared of vegetation. The The margins include remnants of riparian forest P3 48°30’16.68” W meters. Downstream from small hydroelectric central 18°40’36.25” S The margins include remnants of riparian forest and Lotic environment with rocky bed. Depth of approximately 2 P4 48°30’43.94” W meters. Downstream from small hydroelectric central Lotic environment with rocky bed. Depth of approximately 2 the surroundings are mainly farms with livestock Figure 1. Sampling points Uberabinha fish in the river (Paranaíba river basin). 1086 Sampaio et al. | Ichthyofauna of Uberabinha River, Brazil of the diversity of the Upper Paraná and Paranaíba River River basin. Inventories are extremely important for the basins and is threatened due to strong anthropic pressure, conservation of aquatic environments. such as water contamination by industrial and domestic due to degradation of riparian vegetation, sedimentation The present study confirms the importance of studying andeffluents dam fromconstruction. the city ofThe Uberlândia Uberabinha and Riverloss of basin habitat is regionsthe affluents of the ofUpper the ParanáParanaíba River, River, even since considering the studies that one of the poorest with regard to ichthyofaunistic studies reveal differences in the fish fauna between different when compared to the detailed studies that have been by Castro (1999), Langeani et al. (2007) and Galves et al. carried out in the majority of the region of the Paranaíba (2009).the knowledge of the fish fauna is incipient, as proposed Table 2. N-native, RI- reportedly introduced, CR- critically endangered (Rosa and Lima 2008); method of collection: I- Interview, G – gill net, C – casting net, LH Species surveyed