Reproductive biology of the tiger pleco Panaqolus tankei (Loricariidae) in a lentic system of the Amazon Basin.

This study presents the first information on the reproduction of the recently described tiger pleco Panaqolus tankei, from Lake Bolonha in the north-eastern Amazon Basin. This loricariid has a long reproductive period, fractionated spawning and low fecundity (on average, female gonads contained 37 oocytes), a total length (LT ) at first maturity of 47.4 mm for females and 54.1 mm LT for males. Correlation of the condition factor and gonado-somatic index with environmental variables suggests that turbidity favours P. tankei reproduction in this environment.