Diet, reproduction and population structure of the introduced Amazonian fish Cichla piquiti (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in the Cachoeira Dourada reservoir (Paranaíba River, central Brazil).

The Blue Peacock Bass (Cichla piquiti), native to the Tocantins-Araguaia river basin of the Amazon system, was introduced into the basin of the Paranaíba River, Paraná River system. Cachoeira Dourada reservoir is one of a series of dams on the Paranaíba River in central Brazil, where this fish has become established. A study of its feeding spectrum, combined with information about its reproductive characteristics and population structure, would enable the current state of this species in the reservoir to be assessed and might provide useful data for the management of other species native to this habitat. This study showed that the peacock bass has no predators or natural competitors in the reservoir and that reproduces continuously, with high reproductive rates, and has a smaller median length at first maturity (L50) than other species of Cichla. Its successful establishment in habitats strongly affected by human activity should cause changes in the whole structure of the local fish communities. Nonetheless, in this reservoir, there appears to be some sharing of the functions of this species with native carnivorous fish, a situation that may be sustained by the presence of a wide variety of foraging fish.

Dynamics of fipronil in Oleo Lagoon in Jataí Ecological Station, São Paulo-Brazil.

Fipronil is a phenylpyrazole pesticide widely used to protect sugar-cane crops from insect pests. After reaching the environment, this insecticide may have several fates. This research aimed to propose a kinetic model to describe the fate of commercial fipronil Regent 800WG in the sediment-water interface of the Oleo Lagoon in the Mogi-Guaçu river floodplain, situated within the Jataí Ecological Station, by means of a microcosm scale experiment. Results showed that a small fraction of the pesticide is quickly dragged to the sediment while most of it remains in the water column. Biodegradation proves to be an important fipronil degradation route, especially when microorganisms capable of using fipronil as sole carbon source increase their population, as a function of exposure time. Biodegradation rates were higher in the sediment than in the water column.