Neotropical Ichthyology 

About: Neotropical Ichthyology is an academic journal published by Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Characiformes & Biology. It has an ISSN identifier of 1679-6225. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 1330 publications have been published receiving 22129 citations.

Histopathology of gills, kidney and liver of a Neotropical fish caged in an urban stream

Abstract: Histological changes in gills, kidney and liver were used to evaluate the health of the Neotropical fish species Prochilodus lineatus, subjected to in situ tests for 7 days in a disturbed urban stream and in a reference site, during winter and summer. In fish caged in the urban stream the most common lesions were epithelial lifting, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the respiratory epithelium, lamellar fusion, and aneurysms in the gills; enlargement of the glomerulus, reduction of Bowman's space, occlusion of the tubular lumen, cloudy swelling and hyaline droplet degeneration in the kidneys; hepatocytes with hypertrophy, cytoplasmic and nuclear degeneration, melanomacrophage aggregates, bile stagnation and one case of focal necrosis in the liver. The lesions were comparatively most severe in the liver. Histopathology showed to be a very suitable biomarker for use in conjugation with the in situ test, because the seasonal variation did not interfere in the results and it was possible to differentiate the sites in the urban stream from the reference site.

Phylogeny of the family Characidae (Teleostei: Characiformes): from characters to taxonomy

Abstract: The family Characidae is the most diverse among Neotropical fishes. Systematics of this family are mainly based on pre-cladistic papers, and only recently a phylogenetic hypothesis for Characidae was proposed by the author. That phylogeny was based on 360 morphological characters studied for 160 species, including representatives of families related to Characidae. This paper is based on that phylogenetic analysis, with the analyzed characters described herein and documented, accompanied by comparisons of their definition and coding in previous papers. Synapomorphies of each node of the proposed phylogeny are listed, comparisons with previous classifications provided, and autapomorphies of the analyzed species listed. Taxonomic implications of the proposed classification and the position of the incertae sedis genera within Characidae are discussed. A discussion of the phylogenetic information of the characters used in the classical systematics of the Characidae is provided.

Tectonic history and the biogeography of the freshwater fishes from the coastal drainages of eastern Brazil: an example of faunal evolution associated with a divergent continental margin

Abstract: The eastern Brazilian coastal drainages are of great biogeographical significance, because of their highly endemic fish faunas. Phylogenetic patterns suggest a close biotic relationship between the rivers that flow into the Atlantic and those on the adjacent upland crystalline shield. However, little has been said on the dynamics of the geological processes causally related to the cladogenetic events between these areas. Distributional and phylogenetic patterns suggest a close association with the geological history of the passive continental margin of South America, from the Cretaceous to the present day. In this area megadome uplifts, rifting, vertical movements between rifted blocks and the erosive retreat of the South American eastern continental margin are hypothesized as the main geological forces controlling the distribution of freshwater fishes. The tectonic activity associated with the break-up of Gondwana and separation of South America and Africa formed six megadomes that control most of the current courses of the main crystalline shield river basins. Except for basins located at the edges of such megadomes, these river systems developed long, circuitous routes over the ancient Brazilian crystalline shield before emptying into the recently opened Atlantic Ocean. Initial cladogenetic events between upland crystalline drainages and Atlantic tributaries were probably associated with vicariant processes, and some ancient basal sister-groups of widespread inclusive taxa are found in these coastal hydrographic systems. Later, generalized erosive denudation resulted in an isostatic adjustment of the eastern margin of the platform. These, along with reactivations of ancient rifts led to vertical movements between rifted blocks and gave rise, in southeastern Brazil, to taphrogenic (rift related) basins. These basins, such as the Taubate, Sao Paulo, Curitiba and Volta Redonda basins, among others, captured adjacent upland drainages and fauna. The fossil fishes from the Tremembe Formation (Eocene-Oligocene of Taubate Basin) exemplify this process. Other taphrogenic systems of Tertiary age were also identified in other segments of the Atlantic continental margin, such as in Borborema province, in NE Brazil, with marked influence over drainage patterns. At the same time, erosive retreat of the eastern margin of the platform successively captured upland rivers, which became Atlantic tributaries evolving associated to main rift systems. The continued nature of these processes explains the mixed phylogenetic and distributional patterns between Atlantic tributaries and the upland crystalline shield areas, especially in the southeastern continental margin, represented by successively, less inclusive sister-groups associated with cladogenetic events from the Late Cretaceous to the present.

Peixes da planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná e áreas adjacentes: revised, annotated and updated

Abstract: The book “Peixes da planicie de inundacao do alto rio Parana e areas adjacentes” represents the most cohesive data compilation for the rio Parana floodplain. However, considering the dynamicity of the taxonomy of freshwater fishes, several new records and taxonomic changes occurred along the past years. Therefore, the results of that publication were revisited, providing an update of the species list, their taxonomic status, records and geographic distribution, and also new keys for genera and species. The species included were those recorded in the rio Parana basin, from the mouth of the rio Paranapanema to the Itaipu Reservoir, following the general methodology presented in the book. A total of 10 orders, 41 families, 126 genera, and 211 species were registered, with an increase of one order, six families, 14 genera, and 29 species when compared to the book. Additionally, four new genera recently described, five synonymization proposals, 14 new identifications, four new combinations, 12 new species recently described, 34 new records, and nine misidentified species were recorded. These results are associated with the redirection of human and financial resources to that area, which enabled monitoring and intensive exploration of its watercourses; as well as training of taxonomists, and new taxonomic resolutions.

A massive invasion of fish species after eliminating a natural barrier in the upper rio Paraná basin

Abstract: Based on long-term studies in the upper rio Parana basin, in addition to a broad review of literature and other information, we were able to identify 33 species of native fishes in the lower rio Parana basin that successfully colonized the upper rio Parana after Itaipu impoundment, that flooded the natural geographic barrier constituted by the Sete Quedas Falls. These species belong to six Orders, encompassing two of Myliobatiformes, six of Characiformes, 17 of Siluriformes, six of Gymnotiformes, one of Perciformes, and one of Pleuronectiformes. Extensive remarks regarding each species, including their influence upon the native assemblage, in addition to comments on other non-indigenous species, are also provided. We conclude that, in spite of its widespread neglected by environmental impact studies, massive invasion of species is a real possibility when natural barriers are suppressed by reservoirs.