Inventory of the freshwater fishes from a densely collected area in South America—a case study of the current knowledge of Neotropical fish diversity

Abstract

We herein analyse the history of the description of the freshwater fish fauna from three drainages in one of the most densely collected areas of Brazil, and possibly of South America, the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. An updated inventory of the freshwater fish species from rio Uruguay (partial) in Brazil, Laguna dos Patos (complete) and rio Tramandaí basins (complete) is presented. We found the number of new species described in these drainages increased nearly 56% since 1981, reaching a total of 422 species, but even now 10% of this number still corresponds to undescribed species. This rate of species description suggests that previous estimates of the Neotropical fish fauna are low, and we predict a final number of Neotropical fishes larger than the largest prediction estimate (8,000 species), after other regions of South and Central Americas become densely sampled. We discuss and attempt to demonstrate that species diversity knowledge is historically and strictly related to collecting efforts. We also demonstrate that the ecoregions in eastern South America with the highest density of species per area correspond to the areas more densely sampled in collections, and this may represent a bias in such kinds of analyses. This uneven sampling in Brazilian regions is apparently associated with the uneven distribution of Zoological research centers in different regions of the country. Small-sized species represents an important source of new species, along with little explored regions or little explored habitats, sometimes associated with restricted range species, and species complexes that need revisionary work. In contrast to other Neotropical regions, Atheriniformes are relatively diverse, sharing the fifth place in species richness with Gymnotiformes, and there is a remarkably high number of species of Rivulidae. Eight species are endemic to the rio Tramandaí drainage, 68 to the Laguna dos Patos system, and 78 to the rio Uruguay drainage. Almost 10% of the freshwater fish species are "Critically Endangered", "Endangered" or "Vulnerable" according to the IUCN criteria, with Rivulidae as the family with the largest number of threatened species.

First record of Phallotorynus victoriae Oliveros, 1983 (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae) for Uruguay river basin and Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil

“…Finally, this record suggests that although the Uruguay river basin is relatively well known, there are still unexplored habitats, where there may be species not yet reported, such as the recently reported Ctenobrycon cf. alleni (Eigenmann & McAtee, 1907), Serrapinnus kriegi (Schindler, 1937), and Laetacara dorsigera (Heckel, 1840), which were known from Paraguay and Paraná river basins (Bertaco et al 2016). Therefore, this study is the first record of the genus Phallotorynus and extends the distribution of P. victoriae in the Uruguay river basin and the state of Rio Grande do Sul.…”

“…Phallotorynus victoriae was recorded from the lower portions of Paraná river basin in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay (Oliveros 1983, Meyer and Etzel 2006, Eschemeyer et al 2017. For the state of Rio Grande do Sul, 422 species are recorded (Bertaco et al 2016) and with 9 of those belonging to the Poeciliidae: Cnesterodon brevirostratus Rosa & Costa, 1993;C. decemmaculatus (Jenyns, 1842); Cnesterodon sp.…”

Ichthyofauna of Marinheiros Island, Patos Lagoon estuary, southern Brazil

“…The shallow depths of island systems are favorable to the occurrence of characids, which are referred as inhabitants mainly of shallow waters (Lowe-McConnell 1987). However, the most speciose order in Rio Grande do Sul state (Bertaco et al 2016), Siluriformes, was poorly represented in the insular systems, with only two recorded species (Pimelodella australis Eigenmann, 1917 and Rhamdia aff. quelen Quoy & Gaimard, 1824).…”

“…Collection was authorized by the Brazilian environmental agency ICMBio through license number 56947-1. Nomenclature of species and higher taxa follows Bertaco et al (2016). …”

Astyanax taurorum a new species from dos Touros River, Pelotas River drainage, an upland southern Brazilian river (Characiformes: Characidae)

“…5). The Pelotas River drainage is located in the region named "Campos de Altitude do Planalto das Araucárias (= Araucaria Plateau in Bertaco et al 2016)" or "Campos de Cima da Serra", which has a high level of endemism of fishes (Malabarba et al 2009, Bertaco et al 2016 and other groups of animals (for example: sponges, Ribeiro et. al.…”