Rapid assessment of the ichthyofauna of the southern Guiana Shield tributaries of the Amazonas River in Pará, Brazil

The Northern Pará Drainage System encompasses the left-bank tributaries of the Amazonas River in the southern Guiana Shield region of Pará state, Brazil. Five of the region's state protected areas are considered strategic for the conservation of its biodiversity. In the present study, we assessed the ichthyofauna of the five state protected areas of the Northern Pará Drainage System. Seven expeditions were conducted between January 2008 and January 2009, which surveyed stretches of the Cuminá, Cuminapanema, Curuá, Jari, Mapuera, Nhamundá, and Paru rivers. These surveys yielded 286 species belonging to 38 families and eight orders, including seven new records of fish species for Brazil, six of which are also new records for the Amazon basin. Our results provide a valuable database for future research and conservation programs in the protected areas of the region. (AU)

A new species of the Eigenmannia trilineata (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae) species group from the río Orinoco basin, Venezuela

A new species of the Eigenmannia trilineata species group is described from the río Orinoco basin, Venezuela. The new species is distinguished from congeners by a unique set of characters including an ossified basibranchial 1; 198-217 anal-fin rays; suborbital depth, 21.3-26.1% HL; length of anterodorsal process of maxilla equal to the width of the posterior nostril; premaxilla with 17 teeth distributed in three rows; hyaline pectoral and anal fins; and number of scale series above lateral line, 9-10. It raises the number of species allocated to the Eigenmannia trilineata species group to 13 and the number of species within the genus to 18.(AU)

Se describe una nueva especie del grupo Eigenmannia trilineata de la cuenca del río Orinoco, Venezuela. La nueva especie se distingue de sus congéneres por una combinación única de caracteres, incluyendo el basibranquial 1 osificado; número de radios de la anal, 198-217; profundidad del suborbital, 21.3-26.1% HL; longitud del proceso anterodorsal de la maxila igual al ancho de la narina posterior; 17 dientes premaxilares distribuidos en tres hileras; aletas pectoral y anal hialinas; y 9-10 hileras de escamas sobre la serie de la línea lateral. La presente contribución eleva el número de especies del grupo Eigenmannia trilineata a 13, y a 18 aquellas dentro del género.(AU)

A new species of Farlowella (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) of the F. nattereri species-group from the rio Xingu basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil, with comments on Farlowella jauruensis, a poorly-known species from the upper rio Paraguai basin

A new species of Farlowella is described from eighteen specimens collected in the upper rio Xingu basin, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species is a member of the Farlowella nattereri species-group and can be distinguished from other members of the group, with exception of Farlowella jauruensis , by exhibiting a proportionally shorter snout. The new species is distinguished from F. jauruensis by differences on the cleithrum and plate morphology, by counts of pelvic and caudal-fin rays, and by the color pattern of the snout. The discovery of new lots of F. jauruensis , a species so far known only from the holotype, is also herein reported. This discovery represents a considerable expansion of the geographic distribution and of the number of known specimens of F . jauruensis .(AU)

Uma nova espécie de Farlowella é descrita de dezoito espécimes da bacia do alto rio Xingu, estado do Mato Grosso, Brasil. A nova espécie é membro do grupo de espécies da Farlowella nattereri , e é diagnosticada de outros membros deste grupo, com exceção de Farlowella jauruensis , por apresentar um focinho proporcionalmente mais curto. A nova espécie se diferencia de F . jauruensis por diferenças morfológicas do cleitro e de placas, pelas contagens de raios da nadadeira pélvica e caudal, e pelo padrão de colorido do focinho. A descoberta de novos lotes de F. jauruensis , uma espécie até então conhecida apenas pelo holótipo, também é aqui reportada. Esta descoberta representa uma expansão considerável da distribuição geográfica e do número de espécimes conhecidos de F . jauruensis .(AU)

Karyotypic and morphological divergence between two cryptic species of Eigenmannia in the Amazon basin with a new occurrence of XX/XY sex chromosomes (Gymnotiformes: Sternopygidae)

Eigenmannia species are widely distributed in the Neotropics, with eight valid species currently recognized. Populations of Eigenmannia from three locations in the eastern Amazon were investigated using cytogenetic and morphological techniques, revealing two taxa designated here as Eigenmannia sp. "A" and Eigenmannia sp. "B". The species differ in three morphometric characters, two meristic characters, and one osteological character. Eigenmannia sp. "A" presents 2n = 34 (22 m/sm+12 st/a) and Eigenmannia sp. "B" presents 2n = 38 (14 m/sm+24st/a) and simple differentiated sex chromosomes of the type XX/XY. In both species the Constitutive Heterochromatin (CH) rich in A-T bases is distributed in the centromeric region of all chromosomes. Eigenmannia sp. "B" also presents CH blocks in the interstitial region of chromosome pairs 8, 9 and X which are positively stained with CMA3, indicating G-C rich regions. The NOR is located on the short arm of chromosome pair 17 of Eigenmannia sp. "A" and on the short arm of pair 14 of Eigenmannia sp. "B". FISH with rDNA probes hybridized to different-sized regions between homologs, suggesting heteromorphism. The differentiation of the X chromosome in Eigenmannia sp. "B" could be the result of amplification of repetitive DNA sequences.

Espécies de Eigenmannia estão amplamente distribuídas na região Neotropical, com oito espécies válidas atualmente reconhecidas. Populações de Eigenmannia de três localidades do leste da Amazônia foram investigadas usando técnicas citogenéticas e morfológicas, revelando dois táxons designados aqui como Eigenmannia sp. "A" e Eigenmannia sp. "B". As espécies diferem em três caracteres morfométricos, dois merísticos e um osteológico. Eigenmannia sp. "A" apresenta 2n = 34 (22 m/sm+12st/a) e Eigenmannia sp. "B" apresenta 2n = 38 (14 m/sm+24st/a) e cromossomos sexuais de diferenciação simples, do tipo XX/XY. Em ambas espécies a Heterocromatina Constitutiva (HC) rica em bases A-T está distribuída na região centromérica de todos os cromossomos. Eigenmannia sp. "B" também apresenta blocos de HC na região intersticial dos pares cromossômicos 8, 9 e X que coraram positivamente para CMA3, indicando regiões ricas em G-C. A NOR está localizada no braço curto do par 17 em Eigenmannia sp. "A" e no braço curto do par 14 em Eigenmannia sp. "B". FISH com sondas de rDNA hibridizaram em regiões de tamanhos diferentes entre os homólogos, sugerindo heteromorfismo. A diferenciação do cromossomo X em Eigenmannia sp. "B" pode ser o resultado de amplificação de sequências repetitivas de DNA.