Migration and spawning of female surubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Pimelodidae) in the São Francisco river, Brazil

Abstract

Surubim, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, is the most valuable commercial and recreational fish in the Sã o Francisco River, but little is known about adult migration and spawning. Movements of 24 females (9.5-29.0 kg), which were radio-tagged just downstream of Trê s Marias Dam (TMD) at river kilometer 2,109 and at Pirapora Rapids (PR) 129 km downstream of TMD, suggest the following conceptual model of adult female migration and spawning. The tagged surubims used only 274 km of the main stem downstream of TMD and two tributaries, the Velhas and Abaeté rivers. Migration style was dualistic with non-migratory (resident) and migratory fish. Pre-spawning females swam at ground speeds of up to 31 km day -1 in late September-December to pre-spawning staging sites located 0-11 km from the spawning ground. In the spawning season (November-March), prespawning females migrated back and forth from nearby pre-spawning staging sites to PR for short visits to spawn, mostly during floods. Multiple visits to the spawning site suggest surubim is a multiple spawner. Most post-spawning surubims left the spawning ground to forage elsewhere, but some stayed at the spawning site until the next spawning season. Post-spawning migrants swam up or downstream at ground speeds up to 29 km day -1 during January-March. Construction of proposed dams in the main stem and tributaries downstream of TMD will greatly reduce surubim abundance by blocking migrations and changing the river into reservoirs that eliminate riverine spawning and non-spawning habitats, and possibly, cause extirpation of populations.

Genetic population structure of two migratory freshwater fish species (Brycon orthotaenia and Prochilodus argenteus) from the Sao Francisco River in Brazil and its significance for conservation

“…Studies on the movement of P. argenteus (Godinho & Kynard, 2006) using telemetry have reported the existence of different population units determined by a spawning-site homing, corroborating previous genetic analyses on this migratory freshwater fish (Hatanaka & Galetti, 2003). Moreover, a similar study with Pseudoplatystoma corruscans revealed that the spatial distribution of the fish was greater during the nonspawning season than during the spawning season (Godinho et al, 2007), demonstrating that the fish are more dispersed in the former season. Thus, the probability of detecting genetic differentiation during the non-reproductive season is much lower, which corroborates the idea of coexisting populations.…”

Embryonic development and larval stages of Steindachneridion parahybae (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae): implications for the conservation and rearing of this endangered Neotropical species

“…Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the gonads of S. parahybae may help explain the small quantity of eggs released. The pattern of oocyte development seems to be multiple-batch groupsynchronous (Rocha & Rocha, 2006) during the reproductive season (Honji, 2011), a reproductive strategy also suggested for another Pimelodidae, P. corruscans (Godinho et al, 2007), a species commonly known as single spawners for most authors so far (Bazzoli, 2003;Sato & Godinho 2003;Campos, 2005).…”

Contribution of conservation genetics in assessing neotropical freshwater fish biodiversity

“…Some tag/recapture and radio tracking studies have demonstrated that homing is observed in other migratory freshwater fish species in South America, such as P. lineatus (Godoy, 1975), P. argenteus (Godinho and Kynard 2006), Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (Spix and Agassiz, 1829) (Godinho et al, 2007). Therefore, there is evidence that homing may be a widespread behavior among migratory South American fish (Godinho et al, 2007).…”

“…Therefore, there is evidence that homing may be a widespread behavior among migratory South American fish (Godinho et al, 2007).…”