Patterns of Diversity, Zoogeography, and Ecological Gradients in Honduran Freshwater Fishes
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The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Summer 8-2010 Patterns of Diversity, Zoogeography, and Ecological Gradients in Honduran Freshwater Fishes Wilfredo Antonio Matamoros University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Part of the Biology Commons, and the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Matamoros, Wilfredo Antonio, "Patterns of Diversity, Zoogeography, and Ecological Gradients in Honduran Freshwater Fishes" (2010). Dissertations. 979. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/979 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Southern Mississippi PATTERNS OF DIVERSITY, ZOOGEOGRAPHY, AND ECOLOGICAL GRADIENTS IN HONDURAN FRESHWATER FISHES by Wilfredo Antonio Matamoros Abstract of a Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2010 ABSTRACT PATTERNS OF DIVERSITY, ZOOGEOGRAPHY, AND ECOLOGICAL GRADIENTS IN HONDURAN FRESHWATER FISHES by Wilfredo Antonio Matamoros August 2010 Nineteen major river drainages across Honduras were sampled from 2005-2009 in order to understand Honduran geographical patterns of freshwater fish distribution, to delineate the Honduran freshwater fishes ichthyographical provinces, and to understand patterns of species assemblage at the drainage level. A total of 166 species of freshwater fishes were sampled, a 64% increase over previously published reports. Eight species belong to primary freshwater families, 47 to secondary, and 111 to peripherals. In order to understand the species-drainages relationships, a presence-absence matrix was built for the 19 major drainages and 55 primary and secondary freshwater fishes. Correspondence and cluster analysis clearly separated the Pacific and Atlantic drainages, corresponding to earlier ichthyographical provinces for the region. However, the Pacific slope of Honduras formed a single Ichthyographical province that includes the Lempa, Goascorán, Nacaome, Choluteca, and Negro River drainages. In contrast to earlier studies, the Honduran Atlantic slope was divided in three Ichthyographical provinces: 1) the Motagua-Chamelecón-Ulúa-Ichthyographical Province; 2) the Nombre de Dios and Bay Islands Ichthyographical Province; and 3) the Honduran Mosquitia Ichthyographical Province. In order to study patterns of fish assemblages, eleven sites in two rivers (the Cangrejal and Lancetilla) of the Nombre de Dios and Bay Island Ichthyographical Province were sampled repeatedly over the study period. Sampling localities included ii lowland (0-10 m above sea level) middle (10-100 m) and upper reaches (>100 m) of both reaches. At each station I used several fishing techniques and also measured physicochemical parameters of the streams. Fish assemblages between the two rivers were found to be significantly different. Significant differences in fish assemblages were also found among the rivers lower, middle, and upper reaches. However, relationships among assemblage structure and physicochemical variables were weak. Diversity and assemblage structure change most at higher altitude where species diversity is the lowest. Upper reaches habitat are dominated mostly by fishes with strong swimming capabilities (e.g. Mullet), and fishes with morphological adaptations to inhabit and swim through rapids and waterfalls (e.g. gobies). iii COPYRIGHT BY WILFREDO ANTONIO MATAMOROS 2010 The University of Southern Mississippi PATTERNS OF DIVERSITY, ZOOGEOGRAPHY, AND ECOLOGICAL GRADIENTS IN HONDURAN FRESHWATER FISHES by Wilfredo Antonio Matamoros A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved: Dr. Jacob Schaefer Director Dr. Brian Kreiser Dr. Mac Alford Dr. Mark Peterson Dr. Willian T. Slack Dr. Susan A. Siltanen Dean of the Graduate School August 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge the following agencies for financial contribution to carry out this project: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, the United States Agency for International Development/Project MIRA Honduras (USAID/Project MIRA Honduras), and the World Wildlife Foundation. This project was partially supported by the Northeastern Illinois University Foundation Dr. Bernard J. Brommel Doctoral Scholarship and The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Alliance for Graduate Education in Mississippi. I am grateful to Jorge Iván Restrepo from the Instituto Regional para la Biodiversidad, Juan Carlos Carrasco from the Red Hondureña para la Ecología y el Desarrollo Sostenible, and Pepe Herrero from USAID/Project MIRA Honduras for their assistance with logistics while performing field work in Honduras. I thank Luigi Lodo for all the help he provided while sampling the Coco River. Thanks to Luis Morales from the Dirección General de Pesca and Claudia Cárcamo, Ivonne Oviedo, and Andrés Alegría from the Instituto de Conservación Forestal for their assistance in obtaining collection permits. I would like to thank Bob Jordan of United States Agency for USAID/Project MIRA Honduras for his initial financial support in 2005. I am very grateful to everyone who has contributed to this project since the beginning with their hard work, including: Julio Mérida, Maritza Montoya, Merci Barahona, Carlos O’Reilly, Juan Carlos Funes, Oqueli Banegas, Julio Ancheta, Marcela Matamoros, Alejandra Sánchez, Edis López, Héctor Portillo, Fausto Elvir, Jonathan Hernández, Hermes Vega, Tomás Manzanares, Bryant Bowen, James Kerfoot, Matthew Wittenrich, Joshua Ennen, Michi Tobler, Chris Jones, Gregg Thompson, Kevin Merwing and Hsin-Hsin Hsia. I iv thank Leonel Marineros and Mario Espinal for providing fish samples from Copán and Santa Bárbara In addition, I would like to acknowledge my advisors Dr. Brian Kreiser and Dr. Jake Schaefer who were largely responsible for the success of this project. I also thank the members of my research committee: Dr. Todd Slack, Dr. Mac Alford, and Dr. Mark Peterson for their contributions to this project. The USM Department of Biological Sciences provided me with funds to attend scientific meetings where I presented the results of my research. Finally, I would like to thank my family for all the support they have given me over the years. To Sheri Glowinski, my wife, whose understanding and support goes beyond limits. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………………… ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ……………………………………………………………. iv LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………………. viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS …………………………………………………...……. ix CHAPTER I. OVERVIEW ……………………………………………………………1 References II. ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE FRESHWATER FISHES OF CONTINENTAL AND INSULAR HONDURAS ………………... 4 Abstract Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion References III. ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL PATTERNS OF HONDURAN OBLIGATE FRESHWATER FISHES ……………………………………………... 60 Abstract Introduction Materials and Methods Results Conclusions References IV. FISH ASSEMBLAGE STRUCTURE ALONG A LONGITUDINAL GRADIENT IN TWO SMALL HONDURAN CARIBBEAN STREAMS …………………………………………………………...... 86 Abstract Introduction Study Area Methods Results Discussion vi References APPENDIXES………………………………………………………………………. 109 vii LIST OF TABLES CHAPTER III Table 1. Results of ANOSIM Pairwise Comparisons........................................................ 74 2. Indicator Species Analysis of Four Honduras Ichthyographical Provinces Classified by a Combination of Cluster Analysis, and CA.................................. 76 CHAPTER IV Table 1. Results of ANOSIM Pairwise Comparisons........................................................ 97 2. Results from Indicator Species Analysis.............................................................. 99 APPENDIXES Table A1. Honduran Freshwater Fish Species by Political Department..............................109 B1. Species by River Drainage and Ichthyographical Province................................123 C1. Cangrejal and Lancetilla Rivers Species Arranged by Rank Based on Abundance (ABD) and Percentage Abundance (%ABD)……………………... 130 viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS CHAPTER II Figure 1. Map of Honduras Showing the Political Divisions (Departments). Dots Represent Localities Sampled During 2005-2008............................................... 6 2. Map of Honduras Showing 19 Major Honduran River Drainage Basins. Shaded Areas Depict Drainages Located on the Pacific Slope; Unshaded Areas are on the Atlantic Slope………………………………………………… 10 CHAPTER III Figure 1. Map of Honduras Showing the 19 Major River Drainages. Central American Map Insert……………………………………………………………………… 63 2. Map of the Physiographic Division of Honduras Based on Marshal (2007)...… 65 3. Bar Plot Showing the Percent of Contribution of the 5 Most Speciose Honduran Freshwater Fish Families. Other Represents 36 Families that Contain between 1 to 7 Species………………………………………………... 69 4. Stack Bars Showing the Percentage of Species Contributions per Province by Species Tolerance to Salinity. Black Represents Primary Freshwater Fishes. White Represents Secondary Freshwater Fishes. Gray Represents Peripheral Freshwater Fishes. MCUP = Motagua-Chamelecón-Ulúa Ichthyographical Province, NDBP = Nombre de Dios-Bay