Brachyhypopomus gauderio n. sp. is described here from the central, southern and coastal regions of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, from Uruguay, and from Paraguay. It is diagnosed from the congeners on the basis of body coloration, meristic and morphometric characters, such as the number of anal-fin rays, the position of anal-fin origin in relation to pectoral-fin, the morphology of the distal portion of caudal filament of mature males, and body proportions. The new species has been formerly identified as B. pinnicaudatus and is herein distinguished from it.
Brachyhypopomus draco, new species, is described from central, southern and coastal regions of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, and Uruguay. It is diagnosed from congeners by, among other characters, the shape of the distal portion of the caudal filament in mature males, which during the reproductive period forms a distinct paddle shape structure.Brachyhypopomus draco, espécie nova, é descrita para as regiões central, sul e costeira do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, e Uruguai. Ela é diagnosticada de seus congêneres, entre outros caracteres, pela porção final do filamento caudal de machos maduros, que adquire a forma de um remo durante o período reprodutivo, .
The reproductive biology and feeding habits of the electric fish Brachyhypopomus gauderio were studied. The species has seasonal reproductive behavior, with breeding occurring during the Southern Hemisphere spring and summer, and having a positive relation with the photoperiod variation. Brachyhypopomus gauderio was defined as a fractional spawner, with low relative fecundity and high first maturation size. Sexual dimorphism was registered, males undergoing hypertrophy of the distal portion of caudal filament. The results on reproductive biology herein obtained are in agreement with data concerning gymnotiforms from Southern Brazil and Uruguay, pointing to an ecological pattern for the species from high latitudes, differing from species with tropical distribution. According to the analysis of the food items, B. gauderio feed mainly on autochthonous insects, likewise the other gymnotiforms previously investigated, leading to conclude that there is no variation on the diet of the species of the order related to climatic conditions or even to habitat of occurrence.
This study aims to describe the feeding habits of a population of the weakly electric fish Eigenmannia trilineata from Southern Brazil through the monthly frequency variation of replection (RI) and hepatosomatic (HSI) indexes, condition factor (CF) and dietary analysis of the species, besides the comparison of the results with abiotic factors. We collected 428 specimens from June/2002 to May/2003 with a dip net and electric fish detector. Stomach contents were analyzed using three measurements: frequency of occurrence of food items, percentage composition per prey type and feeding importance index. Microcrustacea and autochthonous insects were the dominant food items in the stomachs of E. trilineata. The adults (males larger than 63.5 mm and females larger than 80.5 mm) exhibited little alteration in their diet during the reproductive period and ingested more variety of food items. The RI of males, but not females, showed peaks before and after the reproductive period, having significant correlation with the HSI. Condition factor was more influenced by stomach weight in males and by the gonad weight in females. No correlation between abiotic factors and feeding activity was identified.Este estudo objetiva descrever o hábito alimentar de uma população da espécie de peixe elétrico Eigenmannia trilineata do Sul do Brasil, através da variação das freqüências mensais dos índices de repleção (IR), hepatossomático (IHS), fator de condição (FC) e análise da dieta da espécie, além da comparação dos resultados obtidos com fatores abióticos. Foram coletados 428 exemplares entre os meses de junho/2002 e maio/2003 com o auxílio de rede do tipo puçá e um detector de peixe elétrico. Os conteúdos estomacais foram analisados utilizando três métodos de mensuração: freqüência de ocorrência de itens alimentares, composição percentual por tipo de presa e índice de importância alimentar. E. trilineata apresentou microcrustáceos e insetos autóctones como alimentos principais. Os adultos (machos maiores que 63,5 mm e fêmeas maiores que 80,5 mm) tiveram pequena alteração em sua dieta durante o período reprodutivo e ingeriram uma maior variedade de itens do que os juvenis. O IR dos machos apresentou picos antes e depois do período reprodutivo, obtendo correlação significativa com o IHS, fato este não verificado para as fêmeas. O fator de condição foi mais influenciado pelo peso do estômago nos machos e das gônadas nas fêmeas. Não foi identificada correlação entre fatores abióticos e a atividade alimentar da espécie.
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