Oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) in a neotropical stream: a mesohabitat approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This paper analyses the relationship among mesohabitat and aquatic oligochaete species in the Galharada Stream (Campos do Jordão State Park, state of São Paulo, Brazil). Between August 2005 and May 2006 a total of 192 samples were obtained in areas of four different mesohabitats: riffle leaf litter (RL), pool leaf litter (PL), pool sediment (PS) and interstitial sediment from rocky beds in riffle areas (IS). In the mesohabitats sampled, 2007 specimens were identified, belonging to two families (Naididae and Enchytraeidae). Among the oligochaetes identified Naididae was represented by six genera (Allonais, Chaetogaster, Nais, Pristina, Aulodrilus and Limnodrilus). Principal components analysis (PCA) revealed the first two axes explained 85.1% of the total variance of the data. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri Claparede, 1862 and Aulodrilus limnobius Bretscher, 1899 were associated with the pool areas (PL and PS). Most species of genera Pristina and Nais demonstrated apparent affinity with the riffle mesohabitats. The Indicator Species Analysis (IndVal) revealed that Nais communis Piguet, 1906, Pristina leidyi Smith, 1896 and Pristina (Pristinella) jenkinae (Stephenson, 1931) are indicative of RL mesohabitat, while family Enchytraeidae was considered indicative of PL mesohabitat.

Inventory and distribution of Oligochaeta (Annelida, Clitellata) in first-order streams in preserved areas of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…Knowledge of the aquatics oligochaetes fauna in Brazil especially in streams located in preserved areas, is still incomplete and the only studies of these environments , Gorni & Alves 2008b, 2012 are of sites in the state of São Paulo.…”

Influence of bryophyte biomass and organic matter quantity on the abundance and richness of oligochaetes in forest streams with different phytophysiognomies in southeastern Brazil

“…The streams studied all fit this description, so this may have contributed to the presence of Enchytraeidae in the bryophytes analyzed. The species of oligochaetes collected in this study are also associated with other microhabitat types, such as fine sediments, sand and stones, in both riffles and pools (Schenková et al, 2001;Alves et al, 2008;Gorni and Alves, 2008;Behrend et al, 2009;Baturina, Gorni and Alves, 2012;Rodrigues et al, 2013a). Hence, there are no indications that a particular species is restricted to inhabiting bryophytes.…”

Diversity and distribution of oligochaetes in tropical forested streams, southeastern Brazil

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that the richness and distribution of oligochaetes could be influenced by the substrate composition and heterogeneity (Dumnicka, 1994;Martínez-Ansemil and Collado, 1996;Schenková and Helešic, 2006;Gorni and Alves, 2012), the quality and availability of food (Learner et al, 1978;Collado and Schmelz, 2001) as well by the water flow, although there isn't a clear relation between the last variable and their distribution. (Verdonschot, 2001).…”