Early development in the mouth-brooding cichlid fish Satanoperca pappaterra (Perciformes: Cichlidae) / Desarrollo temprano en el pez cíclido Satanoperca pappaterra (Perciformes: Cichlidae)

The Neotropical region exhibits the largest diversity of fish worldwide; however, little is known about the early development of fish species from this region. Therefore, to contribute to this knowledge, this study aimed to morphologically describe the early stages of development (eggs, larvae and juveniles) of S. pappaterra using morphometric and meristic traits, and to assess changes in growth rates throughout larval and juvenile development by analyzing the relationships between various morphometric traits using analytical regression models. Both juvenile and adult individuals with mouth-brooded offspring were collected along the basins of the Cuiabá and Manso Rivers in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil between March 2000 and March 2004. After the adults were identified, the offspring were classified according to its stage (embryonic, larval or juvenile period), and various morphometric and meristic variables were individually measured (when possible). The eggs of this species are yellow in color, oval shaped, show dendritic pigmentation within their yolk, have small to moderately sized perivitelline spaces and lack a mucous membrane and oil droplets. The horizontal and vertical diameters of the sample yolks ranged from 1.43mm to 2.70mm and 1.05mm to 1.68mm, respectively. The standard length of the larval period varied from 4.30mm to 7.16mm, and the standard length of the juvenile period varied from 10.29mm to 24.57mm. Larvae exhibit yolk sacs with internal dendritic pigmentation and dark punctate pigmentation in the dorsal and ventral body regions, whereas irregular transverse spots along the flanks are observed during the juvenile period. Adhesive organs are only present during the yolk-sac stage and at the beginning of the flexion stage. The mouth is terminal during all stages of development. The myomere number varied from 22 to 29 (9 to 16 pre-anal and 10 to 16 post-anal), and the maximal numbers of fin rays and spines were as follows: dorsal, XVI+10; anal, IV+8; pectoral, 16; and pelvic, I+8. Growth analyses identified periods of important change in larval morphology (i.e., metamorphosis), particularly during the flexion and post-flexion stages and in juveniles. Therefore, the morphological development of S. pappaterra is consistent with the ecological requirements of this species, which primarily occurs in structured lentic environments with aquatic macrophytes. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (1): 139-153. Epub 2015 March 01.

La región Neotropical exhibe la mayor diversidad de peces en todo el mundo. Sin embargo, poco se sabe sobre el desarrollo temprano de las especies de peces de esta región. Para contribuir a este conocimiento, este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir morfológicamente las primeras etapas de desarrollo (huevos, larvas y juveniles) de S. pappaterra usando rasgos morfométricos y merísticos. Además de evaluar los cambios en las tasas de crecimiento en el desarrollo larval y juvenil, mediante el análisis de las relaciones entre los diferentes rasgos morfométricos utilizando modelos de regresión analíticos. Tanto los individuos juveniles y adultos con crías de incubación bucal se recogieron a lo largo de las cuencas de los ríos Cuiabá y Manso en el estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil, entre marzo 2000 y marzo 2004. Después de identificar los adultos, las crías se clasificaron de acuerdo a su etapa (embrionaria, período larval o juvenil), y diversas variables morfométricas y merísticas se midieron de forma individual (cuando fue posible). Los huevos de esta especie son de color amarillo, ovalados, muestran pigmentación dendrítica dentro de su yema, tienen espacios perivitelinos de tamaño pequeño a moderado y carecen de una membrana mucosa y gotas de aceite. Los diámetros horizontales y verticales de las yemas oscilaron entre 1.43-2.70mm y 1.05-1.68mm, respectivamente. La longitud estándar del período larval varió de 4.30-7.16mm, y la longitud estándar del período juvenil varió entre 10.29-24.57mm. Las larvas exhibieron sacos vitelinos con pigmentación dendrítica interna y pigmentación puntiforme oscura en las regiones dorsal y ventral del cuerpo, mientras que se observaron manchas transversales irregulares a lo largo de los flancos durante el periodo juvenil. Órganos adhesivos solo estan presentes durante la etapa de saco vitelino y al comienzo de la etapa de flexión. La boca es terminal durante todas las etapas de desarrollo. El número de miomeros varió entre 22 y 29 (9 a 16 pre-anal y 10 a 16 post-anal), y los números máximos de radios de las aletas y espinas fueron los siguientes: dorsal, XVI+10; anal, IV+8; pectoral, 16; y pélvica, I+8. El análisis del crecimiento identificó periodos de cambios importantes en la morfología larval (es decir, la metamorfosis), especialmente durante las etapas de flexión y post-flexión y en los juveniles. Por lo tanto, el desarrollo morfológico de S. pappaterra es consistente con las exigencias ecológicas de esta especie, que se encuentran principalmente en ambientes de estructura léntica con macrófitos acuáticos.

The distribution of the spectral bat, Vampyrum spectrum, reaches the Southern Pantanal / A distribuição do morcego espectral, Vampyrum spectrum, atinge o Pantanal sul

The largest New World bat, Vampyrum spectrum, is a locally rare top predator, which occurs from Mexico to South America. Here, we report for the first time its occurrence in the southern Pantanal floodplain, basing our records on specimens that are also the first to be reported for the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. We conducted bat surveys in two sites 120 km apart, in the Aquidauana and Nhecolândia regions. Among 2,498 bat captures, two individuals of V. spectrum were mist-netted, one at each site. These records expand southward the distribution range of V. spectrum, and in addition to other records in the Northern Pantanal border and Bolivia support that V. spectrum is widely distributed in the upper Paraguay basin.

O maior morcego do Novo Mundo, Vampyrum spectrum, é um predador de topo localmente raro que ocorre do México à América do Sul. Reportamos aqui pela primeira vez sua ocorrência na região sul da planície inundável do Pantanal, tomando como base espécimes que também são os primeiros registrados para o Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Realizamos inventários em dois sítios distantes 120 km, nas regiões de Aquidauana e Nhecolândia. Dentre 2498 capturas de morcegos, dois indivíduos de V. spectrum foram registrados, um em cada sítio. Esses registros expandem a distribuição de V. spectrum para o sul, e somados a outros registros na borda Norte do Pantanal e na Bolívia sustentam que V. spectrum é amplamente distribuída na bacia do alto Paraguai.