Systematics and biogeography of Sternarchellini (Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae: Diversification of electric fishes in large Amazonian rivers

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Stephen J. Ivanyisky III

Full Text Available The Sternarchellini (Gymnotiformes, Apteronotidae is a clade of 10 electric fish species that inhabit deep river channels of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, attain moderate adult body sizes (15-50 cm TL, and have a predatory life style. Here we trace the evolutionary origin and diversification of Sternarchellini using standard phylogenetic and biogeographic procedures and a dataset of 70 morphological characters. The main results are: 1 the genus Sternarchellaincludes both species currently assigned to the genus Magosternarchus; and 2 neither of the multi-species assemblages of Sternarchellini in the Amazon and Orinoco basins are monophyletic. Historical biogeographic analysis suggests that sternarchelline evolution was linked to the large-scale river capture event that formed the modern Amazon and Orinoco basins, i.e. the Late Miocene rise of the Vaupes structural arch and concomitant breaching of the Purus structural arch. This event is hypothesized to have contributed to formation of the modern sternarchelline species, and to the formation of the modern basin-wide sternarchelline species assemblages. The results indicate that cladogenesis (speciation and anagenesis (adaptive evolution were decoupled processes in the evolution of Sternarchellini.

Gymnotus refugio, a new and endangered species of electric fish of the Gymnotus pantherinus species-group from southern Brazil (Gymnotiformes: Gymnotidae).

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Giora, Julia; Malabarba, Luiz Roberto

2016-01-19

Gymnotus refugio, new species, is described from coastal rivers of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states, Brazil. It is diagnosed from most species of the Gymnotus pantherinus species-group by the coloration pattern, further differing from G. pantherinus and G. capitimaculatus on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters. The new species represents the most meridional record of the G. pantherinus species-group.

Two new species and a new subgenus of toothed Brachyhypopomus electric knifefishes (Gymnotiformes, Hypopomidae) from the central Amazon and considerations pertaining to the evolution of a monophasic electric organ discharge.

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Sullivan, John P; Zuanon, Jansen; Cox Fernandes, Cristina

2013-01-01

We describe two new, closely related species of toothed Brachyhypopomus (Hypopomidae: Gymnotiformes: Teleostei) from the central Amazon basin and create a new subgenus for them. Odontohypopomus, new subgenus of Brachyhypopomus, is diagnosed by (1) small teeth present on premaxillae; (2) medialmost two branchiostegal rays thin with blades oriented more vertically than remaining three rays; (3) background color in life (and to lesser extent in preservation) distinctly yellowish with head and sides peppered with small, widely spaced, very dark brown stellate chromatophores that greatly contrast with light background coloration; (4) a dark blotch or bar of subcutaneous pigment below the eye; (5) electric organ discharge waveform of very long duration (head-positive phase approx. 2 milliseconds or longer, head-negative phase shorter or absent) and slow pulse repetition rate (3-16 Hz). The type species of the new subgenus, Brachyhypopomus (Odontohypopomus) walteri sp. n., is diagnosed by the following additional character states: (1) subcutaneous dark pigment at base of orbit particularly prominent, (2) body semi-translucent and nearly bright yellow background coloration in life, (3) a biphasic electric organ discharge (EOD) waveform of very long duration (between 3.5 and 4 milliseconds at 25° C) with head-positive first phase significantly longer than second head-negative phase in both sexes. Brachyhypopomus (Odontohypopomus) bennetti sp. n. is diagnosed by two character states in addition to those used to diagnose the subgenus Odontohypopomus: (1) a deep electric organ, visible as large semi-transparent area, occupying approximately 14-17% body depth directly posterior to the abdominal cavity in combination with a short, but deep, caudal filament, and (2) a monophasic, head-positive EOD waveform, approximately 2.1 milliseconds in duration in both sexes. These are the only described rhamphichthyoid gymnotiforms with oral teeth, and Brachyhypopomus bennetti is the first

Previously undescribed dental arrangement among electric knifefishes, with comments on the taxonomic and conservation status of Tembeassu marauna Triques (Otophysi: Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae

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Ricardo Campos-da-Paz

Full Text Available Recent study of the type-material of Tembeassu marauna, a poorly-known species currently represented in collections only by its holotype (male and paratypes (male and female, all collected forty years ago at the Ilha Solteira reservoir area, upper Paraná river region, revealed an unique pattern of dental arrangement among members of the order Gymnotiformes. This autapomorphic condition refers to a patch of around 15 elongate conical, extra teeth associated to soft tissue, and disposed inside the mouth on a restricted area at the roof of oral cavity and located just in front of the premaxillary bones (although clearly apart from those. Besides this obvious feature, two additional conditions are recognized as possibly unique for T. marauna, which refer to the conspicuous "fleshy" (that is, not presenting subjacent bony structures anterior elongations of the upper and lower jaws. Some additional osteological features identified on radiographs taken from the type material belonging to that species are presented. A brief discussion is furnished, indicating that the recent inclusion of the nominal Tembeassu marauna in Apteronotus La Cépède is not supported by currently available evidence. Thus, it is herein suggested that the species is kept in it own separate genus within the Apteronotidae. Finally, it is argued that T. marauna possibly represents an endangered species at the upper Paraná river region.

Comparable ages for the independent origins of electrogenesis in African and South American weakly electric fishes.

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Sébastien Lavoué

Full Text Available One of the most remarkable examples of convergent evolution among vertebrates is illustrated by the independent origins of an active electric sense in South American and African weakly electric fishes, the Gymnotiformes and Mormyroidea, respectively. These groups independently evolved similar complex systems for object localization and communication via the generation and reception of weak electric fields. While good estimates of divergence times are critical to understanding the temporal context for the evolution and diversification of these two groups, their respective ages have been difficult to estimate due to the absence of an informative fossil record, use of strict molecular clock models in previous studies, and/or incomplete taxonomic sampling. Here, we examine the timing of the origins of the Gymnotiformes and the Mormyroidea using complete mitogenome sequences and a parametric bayesian method for divergence time reconstruction. Under two different fossil-based calibration methods, we estimated similar ages for the independent origins of the Mormyroidea and Gymnotiformes. Our absolute estimates for the origins of these groups either slightly postdate, or just predate, the final separation of Africa and South America by continental drift. The most recent common ancestor of the Mormyroidea and Gymnotiformes was found to be a non-electrogenic basal teleost living more than 85 millions years earlier. For both electric fish lineages, we also estimated similar intervals (16-19 or 22-26 million years, depending on calibration method between the appearance of electroreception and the origin of myogenic electric organs, providing rough upper estimates for the time periods during which these complex electric organs evolved de novo from skeletal muscle precursors. The fact that the Gymnotiformes and Mormyroidea are of similar age enhances the comparative value of the weakly electric fish system for investigating pathways to evolutionary novelty

Composição em tamanho dos peixes (Actinopterygii, Teleostei de ribeirões da bacia do rio Tibagi, Paraná, Brasil

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Shibatta Oscar A.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The standard length of 7610 specimens of 43 species from eight streams of rio Tibagi basin was obtained in order to analyze the means of fish sizes. The higher mean size was observed in Gymnotus carapo Linnaeus, 1758 (165,5 mm and the smaller, in Phalloceros caudimaculatus (Hensel, 1868 (16,25 mm. Some fish like Acestrorhynchus lacustris (Reinhardt, 1874, Leporinus obtusidens (Valenciennes, 1836, Gymnotus carapo Linneus, 1758 and Synbranchus marmoratus Bloch, 1795 can reach big or medium size when adults but were collected only young, evidencing they use some streams in beginning of life. The mean size of total species was 49,81mm, what shows the small size composition of fishes in the streams. The Kolmogov-Smirnov test comparing the mean size of all streams showed significant similar size both in upstream and downstream regions, independent to the different environmental conditions.

FECUNDIDADE E TIPO DE DESOVA DO PORAQUÊ, Electrophorus electricus, (LINNAEUS, 1766 (OSTEICHTHYIES: GYMNOTIFORMES: GYMNOTIDAE DA ÁREA DE PROTEÇÃO AMBIENTAL – APA – DO RIO CURIAÚ, MACAPÁ-AP.

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Júlio César Sá-Oliveira

2012-07-01

Full Text Available O presente estudo objetivou estimar a fecundidade e o tipo de desova do peixe-elétrico Electrophorus electricus da Área de Proteção Ambiental - APA do Rio Curiaú, Macapá-Amapá. As análises foram realizadas a partir de 96 exemplares do peixe coletados no período de março de 2006 a fevereiro de 2007. Análises do ciclo anual de estádios de maturação gonadal, exames macro e microscópico das gônadas, verificação dos diâmetros e contagens dos ovócitos foram realizadas. O número de ovócitos relacionados a uma dimensão corpórea (comprimento total e ao Peso Total (g foi ajustado a uma regressão linear. Os resultados revelaram que a desova é do tipo total e sincrônico, ocorrendo no início do inverno (janeiro-fevereiro. A fecundidade, estimada variou de 1.730 a 3.063 ovócitos vitelogênicos. A fecundidade mostrou correlação positiva com o comprimento total e peso total do corpo, aumentando proporcionalmente com o tamanho de Electrophorus electricus.   Palavras-chave: biologia reprodutiva, Amapá, estádios de maturação gonadal, Brasil.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18561/2179-5746/biotaamazonia.v2n1p32-36

Higher and lower-level relationships of the deep-sea fish order Alepocephaliformes (Teleostei: Otocephala) inferred from whole mitogenome sequences

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Poulsen, Jan Yde; Møller, Peter Rask; Lavoué, Sébastien

2009-01-01

, Cypriniformes, Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes). The disputed family Bathylaconidae was found to be an artificial assemblage of the two genera Bathylaco and Herwigia, with the former as the sister group of the family Alepocephalidae and the latter nested within Alepocephalidae. Platytroctidae...

The complete mitochondrial genome of the helmet catfish Cranoglanis bouderius (Siluriformes: Cranoglanididae) and the phylogeny of otophysan fishes

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Peng, Zuogang; Wang, Jun; He, Shunping

2006-01-01

the approximately unbiased test, the Kishino-Hasegawa test, and the Shimodaira-Hasegawa test. The results show that the grouping ((((Characiformes, Gymnotiformes), Siluriformes), Cypriniformes), outgroup) is the most likely but there is no significant difference between this one and the other alternative hypotheses...

Influences on Group Productivity 1: Factors Inherent in the Task. A bibliographic Synopsis

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1983-04-15

ut- ue Urer~i y, Peter E. Carapos, University ,of Hawaii at Maanoa Arthur Irving, Indiana University--Purdue University Dan Landis, Indiana...aooreciatir, tc t’.’e staff :,-0 t-.e East- West Center and to Professor Neal Goodman St t.£t. Peters -.--!ese for their invaluaole a.d in t-e pre~arz,t...behavior: coded or standard- zec code. Ŕ I- STP ... DEPEDET MEASURES i Seta, Paulus & Schkade, 1976 1. n of correct words recalled. Shaw & Aston, 1976 1

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Jonathan W. Armbruster

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Neblinichthys peniculatus is described from specimens collected in the río Carapo (río Paragua - río Caroni drainage, which drains the southern flank of Cerro Guaiquinima in southeastern Venezuela. Neblinichthys peniculatus differs from all congeners by having mottling on the caudal peduncle consisting of dark spots and dashes (vs. caudal peduncle all about the same color or light below and dark above and by having spots on the head (spots less conspicuous in nuptial males as the head is darker; vs. no spots. Uniquely among Neblinichthys for which nuptial males are known, the hypertrophied odontodes on the snout are rather short, none as large as the eye diameter.Se describe una nueva especie, Neblinichthys peniculatus, con especímenes colectados del río Carapo (cuenca del río Paragua-rio Caroní, que drena el flanco sur del Cerro Guaiquinima en el sureste de Venezuela. Neblinichthys peniculatus difiere de todos sus congéneres en tener un patrón de pigmentación moteado en el pedúnculo caudal, que consiste de puntos y líneas cortas oscuras (vs. pedúnculo caudal más o menos uniformemente pigmentado, más oscuro dorsalmente y más claro ventralmente y por tener puntos en la cabeza (los puntos son menos conspicuos en los machos nupciales; vs. cabeza sin puntos. Los odontodos hipertrofiados del hocico son cortos en los machos nupciales y ninguno es tan largo como el diámetro del ojo, una condición única entre las especies de Neblinichthys de las cuales se conocen los machos nupciales.

Hydrogen-Assisted IC Engine Combustion as a Route to Hydrogen Implementation

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Andre Boehman; Daniel Haworth

2008-09-30

The 'Freedom Car' Initiative announced by the Bush Administration has placed a significant emphasis on development of a hydrogen economy in the United States. While the hydrogen-fueled fuel-cell vehicle that is the focus of the 'Freedom Car' program would rely on electrochemical energy conversion, and despite the large amount of resources being devoted to its objectives, near-term implementation of hydrogen in the transportation sector is not likely to arise from fuel cell cars. Instead, fuel blending and ''hydrogen-assisted'' combustion are more realizable pathways for wide-scale hydrogen utilization within the next ten years. Thus, a large potential avenue for utilization of hydrogen in transportation applications is through blending with natural gas, since there is an existing market for natural-gas vehicles of various classes, and since hydrogen can provide a means of achieving even stricter emissions standards. Another potential avenue is through use of hydrogen to 'assist' diesel combustion to permit alternate combustion strategies that can achieve lower emissions and higher efficiency. This project focused on developing the underlying fundamental information to support technologies that will facilitate the introduction of coal-derived hydrogen into the market. Two paths were envisioned for hydrogen utilization in transportation applications. One is for hydrogen to be mixed with other fuels, specifically natural gas, to enhance performance in existing natural gas-fueled vehicles (e.g., transit buses) and provide a practical and marketable avenue to begin using hydrogen in the field. A second is to use hydrogen to enable alternative combustion modes in existing diesel engines, such as homogeneous charge compression ignition, to permit enhanced efficiency and reduced emissions. Thus, this project on hydrogen-assisted combustion encompassed two major objectives: (1) Optimization of hydrogen-natural gas mixture

The Nissan LEAF electric powertrain

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Nakazawa, Shinsuke [Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (Japan)

2011-07-01

The need for CO{sub 2} reduction as a countermeasure to global warming, and to move away from our dependence on fossil fuels as a countermeasure to energy security are urgent issues. One of the ultimate goals to achieving these targets is to develop a 'Zero emission car' such as an electric vehicle or a fuel cell vehicle, along with the manufacturing of clean energy. Nissan have developed a new powertrain for the electric vehicle, and have installed it in the Nissan LEAF. Sales of the Nissan LEAF started in North America, Europe and Japan in 2010, with plans to sell it globally by 2012. In order to achieve an improved driving range, power performance and drivability performance, Nissan have adapted a high efficiency synchronous motor, a water-cooled inverter, and reducer. Moreover, the Nissan LEAF has the capability of a 3.3kW AC charge and a 50kW DC quick charge. This presentation will introduce the features of the electric powertrain adopted for Nissan LEAF. (orig.)

Evolutionary history of Otophysi (Teleostei, a major clade of the modern freshwater fishes: Pangaean origin and Mesozoic radiation

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Saitoh Kenji

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Freshwater harbors approximately 12,000 fish species accounting for 43% of the diversity of all modern fish. A single ancestral lineage evolved into about two-thirds of this enormous biodiversity (≈ 7900 spp. and is currently distributed throughout the world's continents except Antarctica. Despite such remarkable species diversity and ubiquity, the evolutionary history of this major freshwater fish clade, Otophysi, remains largely unexplored. To gain insight into the history of otophysan diversification, we constructed a timetree based on whole mitogenome sequences across 110 species representing 55 of the 64 families. Results Partitioned maximum likelihood analysis based on unambiguously aligned sequences (9923 bp confidently recovered the monophyly of Otophysi and the two constituent subgroups (Cypriniformes and Characiphysi. The latter clade comprised three orders (Gymnotiformes, Characiformes, Siluriformes, and Gymnotiformes was sister to the latter two groups. One of the two suborders in Characiformes (Characoidei was more closely related to Siluriformes than to its own suborder (Citharinoidei, rendering the characiforms paraphyletic. Although this novel relationship did not receive strong statistical support, it was supported by analyzing independent nuclear markers. A relaxed molecular clock Bayesian analysis of the divergence times and reconstruction of ancestral habitats on the timetree suggest a Pangaean origin and Mesozoic radiation of otophysans. Conclusions The present timetree demonstrates that survival of the ancestral lineages through the two consecutive mass extinctions on Pangaea, and subsequent radiations during the Jurassic through early Cretaceous shaped the modern familial diversity of otophysans. This evolutionary scenario is consistent with recent arguments based on biogeographic inferences and molecular divergence time estimates. No fossil otophysan, however, has been recorded before the Albian, the

Evolutionary history of Otophysi (Teleostei), a major clade of the modern freshwater fishes: Pangaean origin and Mesozoic radiation.

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Nakatani, Masanori; Miya, Masaki; Mabuchi, Kohji; Saitoh, Kenji; Nishida, Mutsumi

2011-06-22

Freshwater harbors approximately 12,000 fish species accounting for 43% of the diversity of all modern fish. A single ancestral lineage evolved into about two-thirds of this enormous biodiversity (≈ 7900 spp.) and is currently distributed throughout the world's continents except Antarctica. Despite such remarkable species diversity and ubiquity, the evolutionary history of this major freshwater fish clade, Otophysi, remains largely unexplored. To gain insight into the history of otophysan diversification, we constructed a timetree based on whole mitogenome sequences across 110 species representing 55 of the 64 families. Partitioned maximum likelihood analysis based on unambiguously aligned sequences (9923 bp) confidently recovered the monophyly of Otophysi and the two constituent subgroups (Cypriniformes and Characiphysi). The latter clade comprised three orders (Gymnotiformes, Characiformes, Siluriformes), and Gymnotiformes was sister to the latter two groups. One of the two suborders in Characiformes (Characoidei) was more closely related to Siluriformes than to its own suborder (Citharinoidei), rendering the characiforms paraphyletic. Although this novel relationship did not receive strong statistical support, it was supported by analyzing independent nuclear markers. A relaxed molecular clock Bayesian analysis of the divergence times and reconstruction of ancestral habitats on the timetree suggest a Pangaean origin and Mesozoic radiation of otophysans. The present timetree demonstrates that survival of the ancestral lineages through the two consecutive mass extinctions on Pangaea, and subsequent radiations during the Jurassic through early Cretaceous shaped the modern familial diversity of otophysans. This evolutionary scenario is consistent with recent arguments based on biogeographic inferences and molecular divergence time estimates. No fossil otophysan, however, has been recorded before the Albian, the early Cretaceous 100-112 Ma, creating an over 100

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

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Horácio Ferreira Júlio Júnior

Full Text Available Based on long-term studies in the upper rio Paraná 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 Paraná basin that successfully colonized the upper rio Paraná 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.

Avaliação da mutagênese e genotoxicidade em Eigenmannia virescens (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes expostos ao benzeno Avaliation of mutagenicity and gentotoxicity in Eigenmannia virescens (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes exposed to benzene

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Augusto Bücker

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Os efeitos de substâncias genotóxicas sobre o genoma de peixes tem sido objeto de muitos estudos, sobretudo daqueles que buscam estabelecer a resposta dos genes aos estímulos ambientais. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar um estudo sobre mutagenicidade e genotoxicidade em peixes elétricos da espécie Eingenmannia virescens, pela exposição ao benzeno (50ppm, utilizando as técnicas da Freqüência de Micronúcleos (MNs e o Ensaio do Cometa. Foram coletadas amostras do sangue de dez peixes em diferentes tempos de exposição: T0, 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h e 360h (15 dias. Para a análise das lâminas no Teste do MN, foram contadas 1.000 células e estipulada a freqüência de ocorrência de MNs. Para análise do Ensaio do Cometa a contagem foi feita estipulando quatro classes de danos: I - II - III - IV, e para a análise estatística foram atribuídos valores numéricos (ranques de 0 a 3, respectivamente, verificando diferenças significativas para a soma dos ranques em todos os tempos de exposição em relação ao T0. No Teste do Micronúcleo não foi possível detectar efeitos mutagênicos significativos nos eritrócitos analisados. No entanto, para o Ensaio do Cometa os resultados sugerem ação genotóxica do benzeno, devido a um aumento gradual no número de células com maiores classes de danos de acordo com maior tempo de exposição, indicando um efeito tempo-dependente. Estes resultados sugerem maior sensibilidade do Ensaio do Cometa que o Teste do MN.The effects of genotoxic substances on fishes genome have been object of many studies, especially those which attempt to establish the responses of genes to environmental stimulus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mutagenicity and genotoxicity in electric fishes of species Eingenmannia virescens, under to benzene exposure (50ppm, utilizing Micronuclei Test (MNs and Comet Assay techniques. Ten fish blood samples were collected in different times of exposure: T0, 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h and 360h (15 days. To determine the frequency of MNs, 1.000 cells per microscopical slides were counted. For the Comet Assay analysis, four damage classes were defined: I - II - III - IV, and for the statistic analysis number values (ranks from 0 to 3 were assigned for each class. The sum of ranks (values for all times of exposure was compared to T0 and these differences were statistically analyzed. On Micronuclei Test demonstrated do not possible detect significant mutagenic effects in the erythrocytes analyzed. On the other hand, for the Comet Assay, the results suggested genotoxic action of benzene, proper the gradual increase of number of cells with greatest damage class with the greatest of exposure time, indicating an effect time-dependent. These results suggested the most sensibility for the Comet Assay like Micronuclei Test.

Karyotypic similarities between two species of Rhamphichthys (Rhamphichthyidae, Gymnotiformes from the Amazon basin

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Patrícia Silva

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The family Rhamphichthyidae includes three genera: Rhamphichthys Müller et Troschel, 1846, Gymnorhamphichthys M. M. Ellis, 1912 and Iracema Triques, 1996. From this family, only the species Rhamphichthys hanni Meinken, 1937 has had its karyotype described. Here, we describe the karyotypes of two additional Rhamphichthys species: R. marmoratus Castelnau, 1855 from the Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Amazonas state and R. prope rostratus Linnaeus, 1766 from Pará state, both in Brazil. Our karyotypic analyses demonstrated that the diploid number is conserved for the genus (2n = 50, but the karyotypic formulas (KFs differed between R. marmoratus (44m/sm+6a and R. prope rostratus (42m/sm+8a. In both species, the constitutive heterochromatin (CH was located in the centromeric region of most chromosomes. Large heterochromatic blocks were found on the long arms of pairs 4 and 14 in R. marmoratus and on chromosomes 3, 4 and 19 in R. prope rostratus, which also has a heteromorphism in chromosome pair 1. The CH was DAPI positive, indicating that it is rich in AT base pairs. The Nucleolus Organizer Region (NOR showed staining at a single location in both species: the long arm of pair 1 in R. marmoratus and the long arm of pair 12 in R. prope rostratus, where it showed a size heteromorphism. CMA3 staining coincided with that of Ag-NOR, indicating that the ribosomal genes contain interspaced GC-rich sequences. FISH with an 18S rDNA probe confirmed that there is only one NOR site in each species. These results can be used as potential cytogenetic markers for fish populations, and comparative analysis of the karyotypes of Hypopygus Hoedman, 1962, Rhamphichthys and Steatogenys Boulenger, 1898 suggests that the first two genera diverged later that the third.

Fallen leaves on the water-bed: diurnal camouflage of three night active fish species in an Amazonian streamlet

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Ivan Sazima

Full Text Available Resemblance to dead leaves is a well known type of camouflage recorded for several small vertebrates that dwell in the leaf and root litter on the ground. We present here instances of such resemblance in three species of nocturnal fishes (Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes that spend the daytime among submersed root-tangle with leaf litter in Amazonian streams. All three species are very difficult to spot visually, due both to their shape and colors which blend with the substrate, as well as to the heterogeneous nature of their cover. Two species were recorded to lie on their sides, which adds to their resemblance to dead leaves. When disturbed, one species may drift like a waterlogged leaf, whereas another moves upwards the root-tangle, exposing its fore body above the water surface. We regard their leaf-like shapes, cryptic colors, and escape movements as a convergence in defensive responses to visually hunting aquatic vertebrates, most likely diurnal predaceous fishes.

Analysis of the influence of the Colatina Belt in the Campos and Espirito Santo Basins-Brazil; Analise da influencia da Faixa Colatina nas Bacias de Campos e Espirito Santo

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Silva, Gustavo Henrique Teixeira da; Simoes, Luiz Sergio Amarante; Souza, Iata Anderson de [Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Geociencias e Ciencias Exatas

2008-07-01

Recent discoveries in the Espirito Santo Basin confirm the importance of it in the national exploratory scenery (oil and gas production). The new fields like Carapo and Camarupim, beyond others, next to already known Golfinho and Canapu, totalize an addition of 560 million barrels. In this way, studies in the area add importance, as the case of the present research, where if it looked to analyze the influence of Colatina Belt in Espirito Santo Basin and secondarily in Campos Basin. The results had been gotten through the integration of diverse data, such as lineaments extracted from images SRTM, potential maps and analyze of seismic lines. It was concluded that the Colatina Belt if projects for the interior of the basins, but that the same one seems to be dislocated in relation to the direct projection of the continental features, being that its influence can be felt with bigger emphasis in the Campos Basin, while in the Espirito Santo it look like to have low importance with regard to the exploration aspects. Also it was verified the presence of numerous halo kinetic structures that affect all the mapped horizons, this element determine great importance in the generation of structural traps. (author)

Fish associated with aquatic macrophytes in the Chacororé-Sinhá Mariana Lake system and Mutum River, Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil Peixes associados a macrófitas aquáticas no sistema de baías Chacororé-Sinhá Mariana e rio Mutum, Pantanal - MT

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EB. Pacheco

2009-02-01

Full Text Available On the left bank of the Cuibá River, one of the main tributaries of the Pantanal in Mato Grosso, are located the Chacororé and Sinhá Mariana Lakes and the Mutum River, the littoral regions of which are covered with aquatic macrophytes, dominated by the species Eichhornia crassipes and Eichhornia azurea. To examine the ichthyofauna associated with this vegetation, in the year 2003, 3510 fish were collected, distributed among 83 species, and the limnological variables verified near the macrophyte stands where they were sampled. The most abundant and richest order was the Characiformes, followed by the Gymnotiformes and Siluriformes. Analysis of similarity showed a very low, or null, index that the limnological conditions and morphology of the aquatic macrophyte species provide habitat sufficiently homogeneous to give. The limnological conditions and morphology of the aquatic macrophyte species provide a sufficient habitat heterogeneity to give very low, or null, index values. Thus, environmental conservation measures should be more effective in promoting the conservation of the species, given the high levels of biological diversity found in the habitats studied.À margem esquerda do rio Cuiabá, um dos principais afluentes do Pantanal matogrossense, estão localizadas as baías Chacororé e Sinhá Mariana e o rio Mutum, cujas regiões litorâneas são cobertas por macrófitas aquáticas. Com o intuito de se verificar a ictiofauna associada a esta vegetação, no ano de 2003, foram coletados 3510 peixes distribuídos em 83 espécies e verificados os valores das variáveis limnológicas próximo aos bancos de macrófitas onde estes foram amostrados. A ordem mais abundante e de maior riqueza foi Characiformes, seguida por Gymnotiformes e Siluriformes. As condições limnológicas e a morfologia das espécies de macrófitas proporcionam heterogeneidade de hábitat suficiente para obtenção de valores dos índices de similaridade baixos ou mesmo

The fish fauna in tropical rivers: The case of the Sorocaba river basin, SP, Brazil

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Welber Senteio Smith

2003-09-01

Full Text Available A survey was carried out on the fish species in the Sorocaba River basin, the main tributary of the left margin of the Tietê River, located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The species were collected with gill nets. After identification of the specimens, their relative abundance, weight and standard length were determined. Up to the present moment there are not any studies that focus this subject in this hydrographic basin. Fifty-three species, distributed in eighteen families and six orders were collected. Characiformes were represented by twenty-eight species, Siluriformes by seventeen species, the Gymnotiformes by three species, Perciformes and Cyprinodontiformes by two species, and the Synbranchiformes by one species. Among the collected species there were two exotic. The most abundant species were Astyanax fasciatus and Hypostomus ancistroides. In relation to total weight the most representative species were Hoplias malabaricus and Hypostomus ancistroides. Cyprinus carpio, Prochilodus lineatus, Schizodon nasutus and Hoplias malabaricus were the most representative species in relation to average weight. Largest standard length were recorded for Sternopygus macrurus, Steindachnerina insculpta, Eigenmannia aff. virescens and Cyprinus carpioSe realizó un análisis de las especies de peces de la cuenca del Río Sorocaba, el principal tributario de la margen izquierda del Río Tietê, localizado en el estado de Sao Paulo, Brasil. Las especies fueron recolectadas con redes agalleras. Luego de la identificación de los especímenes, fue determinada su abundancia relativa, peso, y longitud estandar. Hasta el presente, no hay ningún otro estudio que analice estos aspectos en dicha cuenca hidrográfica. Fueron recolectados 55 especies, distribuidas en 18 familias y 6 ordenes. Los Characiformes estuvieron representados por 28 especies, Siluriformes por 17 especies, Gymnotiformes por 3 especies, Perciformes y Cyprinodontiformes por 2 especies, y

Effects of Neuroactive Drugs in the Discharge Patterns of Microsternarchus (Hypopomidae: Gymnotiformes) Electric Organ.

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de Jesus, Isac Silva; Ferreira, Milena; Silva-Júnior, Urbano Lopes; Alves-Gomes, José Antônio

2017-12-01

Considering the conserved nature of synaptic physiology among vertebrates, we tested the effects of three psychotropics (diazepam, doxapram, and nicotine) on Microsternarchus cf. bilineatus, measuring 10 parameters associated to the electric organ discharges rhythm and waveform before and after the administration of each drug and a control group. There were statistically significant differences (p electric organ's (EO) firing rate, regardless of the expected stimulant or depressor effect of the drugs on the central nervous system (CNS). The intensity of the response changed with the treatment. The observed changes in the fishes' behavior may be a result of the drugs' direct action on the CNS or a combination of this with systemic effects of each substance tested, also in the EO.

Influência da estrutura do hábitat sobre a ictiofauna de um riacho em uma micro-bacia de pastagem, São Paulo, Brasil Habitat structure and stream fishes in a pasture basin, São Paulo, Brazil

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Cristiane de P. Ferreira

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho foi desenvolvido em quatro trechos de um riacho em área de pastagem no noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, com o objetivo de examinar a composição e estrutura quantitativa da ictiofauna e investigar sua relação com as características do hábitat. Os peixes foram coletados nos três meses centrais dos períodos seco e chuvoso por meio de uma passagem de pesca elétrica por mês. A análise da qualidade química da água mostrou condições boas nos quatro trechos, enquanto que a análise da integridade física do hábitat mostrou condições pobres para os trechos 2 e 3 e regulares para os trechos 1 e 4. Foram coletadas 27 espécies de peixes, totalizando 1.241 indivíduos e 5,1 kg. A estrutura quantitativa da ictiofauna demonstrou maior associação com a estrutura do hábitat do que com a sazonalidade visto que os trechos 1 e 2 foram agrupados separadamente dos trechos 3 e 4, independentemente do período de amostragem. De acordo com a análise de correspondência canônica, a elevada abundância de Gymnotus carapo Linnaeus, 1758 nos trechos 1 e 2 esteve associada principalmente com a abundância de vegetação marginal. O maior volume de hábitat no trecho 3 explicou a abundância de Piabina argentea Reinhardt, 1867, e a predominância de substratos rochosos no trecho 4 explicaram a abundância de Hypostomus nigromaculatus (Schubart, 1964.Four stream stretches (sites 1-4 in a pasture area of the northwestern São Paulo state were studied, aiming to examine the composition and quantitative structure of the ichthyofauna and investigate its relation with habitat features. Fishes were collected during the three most representative months of the dry and wet periods by one electrofishing pass in each month. Chemical water quality analysis showed good conditions in all sites, whereas physical habitat integrity analysis showed poor conditions to the sites 2 and 3 and fair to the sites 1 and 4. Twenty seven fish species were collected

Fish associated with aquatic macrophytes in the Chacororé-Sinhá Mariana Lake system and Mutum River, Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

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Pacheco, E B; Da-Silva, C J

2009-02-01

On the left bank of the Cuibá River, one of the main tributaries of the Pantanal in Mato Grosso, are located the Chacororé and Sinhá Mariana Lakes and the Mutum River, the littoral regions of which are covered with aquatic macrophytes, dominated by the species Eichhornia crassipes and Eichhornia azurea. To examine the ichthyofauna associated with this vegetation, in the year 2003, 3510 fish were collected, distributed among 83 species, and the limnological variables verified near the macrophyte stands where they were sampled. The most abundant and richest order was the Characiformes, followed by the Gymnotiformes and Siluriformes. Analysis of similarity showed a very low, or null, index that the limnological conditions and morphology of the aquatic macrophyte species provide habitat sufficiently homogeneous to give. The limnological conditions and morphology of the aquatic macrophyte species provide a sufficient habitat heterogeneity to give very low, or null, index values. Thus, environmental conservation measures should be more effective in promoting the conservation of the species, given the high levels of biological diversity found in the habitats studied.

Why the short face? Developmental disintegration of the neurocranium drives convergent evolution in neotropical electric fishes.

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Evans, Kory M; Waltz, Brandon; Tagliacollo, Victor; Chakrabarty, Prosanta; Albert, James S

2017-03-01

Convergent evolution is widely viewed as strong evidence for the influence of natural selection on the origin of phenotypic design. However, the emerging evo-devo synthesis has highlighted other processes that may bias and direct phenotypic evolution in the presence of environmental and genetic variation. Developmental biases on the production of phenotypic variation may channel the evolution of convergent forms by limiting the range of phenotypes produced during ontogeny. Here, we study the evolution and convergence of brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull shapes among 133 species of Neotropical electric fishes (Gymnotiformes: Teleostei) and identify potential developmental biases on phenotypic evolution. We plot the ontogenetic trajectories of neurocranial phenotypes in 17 species and document developmental modularity between the face and braincase regions of the skull. We recover a significant relationship between developmental covariation and relative skull length and a significant relationship between developmental covariation and ontogenetic disparity. We demonstrate that modularity and integration bias the production of phenotypes along the brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull axis and contribute to multiple, independent evolutionary transformations to highly brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull morphologies.

The contribution of air breathing to aerobic scope and exercise performance in the banded knifefish Gymnotus carapo L

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McKenzie, David J.; Steffensen, John Fleng; Taylor, Edwin W.

2012-01-01

, these individuals achieved a U(crit) of 2.0±0.2 BL s(-1) and an AMR of 368±24 mg kg(-1) h(-1) by gill ventilation alone. In normoxia, therefore, the contribution of air breathing to scope and exercise was entirely facultative. In aquatic hypoxia (P(O(2))=4 kPa) with access to normoxic air, the knifefish achieved...... a U(crit) of 2.0±0.1 BL s(-1) and an AMR of 338±29 mg kg(-1) h(-1), similar to aquatic normoxia, but with 55±5% of AMR derived from air breathing. Indeed, f(AB) was higher than in normoxia at all swimming speeds, with a profound exponential increase during exercise. If the knifefish were denied access...... to air in hypoxia, U(crit) declined to 1.2±0.1 BL s(-1) and AMR declined to 199±29 mg kg(-1) h(-1). Therefore, air breathing allowed the knifefish to avoid limitations to aerobic scope and exercise performance in aquatic hypoxia....

Diversity of neotropical electric fish Microsternarchus (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae: an electrophysiological and geometric morphometric approach

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Adília Nogueira

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The South American hypopomid electric fish tribe Microsternarchini includes three small species from the Upper Orinoco and Negro rivers. These are placed in monotypic genera: Microsternarchus, Racenisia and Procerusternarchus. Recent collections from tributaries in Negro, Solimões and Amazonas Basins have revealed new specimens of Microsternarchus with significant variations in external morphology and in Electric Organ Discharge parameters (EOD. In order to estimate the diversity within the genus a previous molecular study was done using DNA barcoding, that suggested the presence of multiple Microsternarchus's lineages with high levels of genetic divergence between them. Here we try to determine if the variation in morphology and EOD parameters in the new specimens meet the genetic divergence found. To test the presence of differences in shape among the different lineages we performed a geometric morphometric analysis, which included a relative warp and multivariate analysis on distances between 14 anatomical landmarks defined on the basis of external morphology and homologous among the lineages. The EOD variations were also explored using multivariate analyses of 20 electrophysiological parameters calculated through an algorithm developed in Matlab. The results show that there are significant differences in body shape and EOD in three lineages of Microsternarchus, and the features that contributed most were related to the shape of the head, the coefficient of variation of the signal and the duration and area of the different phases of the pulse. The discrimination of the three lineages confirms the occurrence of new species in the group that are currently being described.

Electric organ discharges and electric images during electrolocation

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Assad, C.; Rasnow, B.; Stoddard, P. K.

1999-01-01

Weakly electric fish use active electrolocation - the generation and detection of electric currents - to explore their surroundings. Although electrosensory systems include some of the most extensively understood circuits in the vertebrate central nervous system, relatively little is known quantitatively about how fish electrolocate objects. We believe a prerequisite to understanding electrolocation and its underlying neural substrates is to quantify and visualize the peripheral electrosensory information measured by the electroreceptors. We have therefore focused on reconstructing both the electric organ discharges (EODs) and the electric images resulting from nearby objects and the fish's exploratory behaviors. Here, we review results from a combination of techniques, including field measurements, numerical and semi-analytical simulations, and video imaging of behaviors. EOD maps are presented and interpreted for six gymnotiform species. They reveal diverse electric field patterns that have significant implications for both the electrosensory and electromotor systems. Our simulations generated predictions of the electric images from nearby objects as well as sequences of electric images during exploratory behaviors. These methods are leading to the identification of image features and computational algorithms that could reliably encode electrosensory information and may help guide electrophysiological experiments exploring the neural basis of electrolocation.

Energetic cost of communication.

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Stoddard, Philip K; Salazar, Vielka L

2011-01-15

Communication signals may be energetically expensive or inexpensive to produce, depending on the function of the signal and the competitive nature of the communication system. Males of sexually selected species may produce high-energy advertisement signals, both to enhance detectability and to signal their size and body condition. Accordingly, the proportion of the energy budget allocated to signal production ranges from almost nothing for many signals to somewhere in excess of 50% for acoustic signals in short-lived sexually selected species. Recent data from gymnotiform electric fish reveal mechanisms that regulate energy allocated to sexual advertisement signals through dynamical remodeling of the excitable membranes in the electric organ. Further, males of the short-lived sexually selected species, Brachyhypopomus gauderio, trade off among different metabolic compartments, allocating energy to signal production while reducing energy used in other metabolic functions. Female B. gauderio, by contrast, do not trade off energy between signaling and other functions. To fuel energetically expensive signal production, we expect a continuum of strategies to be adopted by animals of different life history strategies. Future studies should explore the relation between life history and energy allocation trade-offs.

Active sensing associated with spatial learning reveals memory-based attention in an electric fish.

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Jun, James J; Longtin, André; Maler, Leonard

2016-05-01

Active sensing behaviors reveal what an animal is attending to and how it changes with learning. Gymnotus sp, a gymnotiform weakly electric fish, generates an electric organ discharge (EOD) as discrete pulses to actively sense its surroundings. We monitored freely behaving gymnotid fish in a large dark "maze" and extracted their trajectories and EOD pulse pattern and rate while they learned to find food with electrically detectable landmarks as cues. After training, they more rapidly found food using shorter, more stereotyped trajectories and spent more time near the food location. We observed three forms of active sensing: sustained high EOD rates per unit distance (sampling density), transient large increases in EOD rate (E-scans) and stereotyped scanning movements (B-scans) were initially strong at landmarks and food, but, after learning, intensified only at the food location. During probe (no food) trials, after learning, the fish's search area and intense active sampling was still centered on the missing food location, but now also increased near landmarks. We hypothesize that active sensing is a behavioral manifestation of attention and essential for spatial learning; the fish use spatial memory of landmarks and path integration to reach the expected food location and confine their attention to this region. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Separability of drag and thrust in undulatory animals and machines

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Bale, Rahul; Shirgaonkar, Anup A.; Neveln, Izaak D.; Bhalla, Amneet Pal Singh; Maciver, Malcolm A.; Patankar, Neelesh A.

2014-12-01

For nearly a century, researchers have tried to understand the swimming of aquatic animals in terms of a balance between the forward thrust from swimming movements and drag on the body. Prior approaches have failed to provide a separation of these two forces for undulatory swimmers such as lamprey and eels, where most parts of the body are simultaneously generating drag and thrust. We nonetheless show that this separation is possible, and delineate its fundamental basis in undulatory swimmers. Our approach unifies a vast diversity of undulatory aquatic animals (anguilliform, sub-carangiform, gymnotiform, bal-istiform, rajiform) and provides design principles for highly agile bioinspired underwater vehicles. This approach has practical utility within biology as well as engineering. It is a predictive tool for use in understanding the role of the mechanics of movement in the evolutionary emergence of morphological features relating to locomotion. For example, we demonstrate that the drag-thrust separation framework helps to predict the observed height of the ribbon fin of electric knifefish, a diverse group of neotropical fish which are an important model system in sensory neurobiology. We also show how drag-thrust separation leads to models that can predict the swimming velocity of an organism or a robotic vehicle.

The sustainable car company - or the comeback of the electric car

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sticher, Georg; Rizoulis, Dimitrios [The Boston Consulting Group, Muenchen (Germany)

2008-07-01

Every day there are article published about the future of propulsion technology. Opinions are diverging: 'We'll sell nothing but hybrids by 2020' says one automotive executive; whereas for another power train executive ''Hybrids are a violation of physics'. The topic has moved beyond specialized automotive magazines and is strongly emotionalized: Hollywood stars appear driving hybrid vehicles and a documentary film charges the automotive industry as guilty for conspiring against and 'killing the electric car'. Those emotional discussions are largely driven by the announcement of many new vehicles powered by hybrid-electric power trains, fuel cells or batteries. The public is overwhelmed by announcements and can hardly tell concept vehicles from production announcements apart. One core aspect of sustainability is the reduction of CO2 emissions and the increase of vehicle efficiency. The electrification of the vehicle will have to be an integral part of every OEMs and suppliers' portfolio. But without adequate incentives of consumers to purchase the cars and of utilities and/or private investors to provide the necessary infrastructure, the emergence of the electric vehicle may be off to another false start. We do want to offer a structured, multi-stakeholder view in an attempt to de-mystify this rather complex topic. To this, we will present facts on what drives the need for change in the propulsion systems market, what are the viable technological options, what market scenario is likely for 2020 and what does this entail for the major stakeholders. (orig.)

A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical electric fish genus Brachyhypopomus (Ostariophysi: Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae, with descriptions of 15 new species

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William G. R. Crampton

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The bluntnose knifefish genus BrachyhypopomusMago-Leccia, 1994, is diagnosed from other Rhamphichthyoidea (Rhamphichthyidae + Hypopomidae by the presence of a disk-like ossification in the anterior portion of the palatoquadrate, and by the following external characters: short snout, 18.7-32.6% of head length (vs. 33.3-68.6% in Hypopomus, Gymnorhamphichthys, Iracema, and Rhamphichthys, absence of a paired accessory electric organ in the mental or humeral region (vs. presence in Hypopygus and Steatogenys, presence of 3-4 pectoral proximal radials (vs. 5 in Akawaio, presence of the antorbital + infraorbital, and the preopercular cephalic lateral line canal bones (vs. absence in Racenisia. Brachyhypopomus cannot be diagnosed unambiguously from Microsternarchus or from Procerusternarchus on the basis of external characters alone. Brachyhypopomus comprises 28 species. Here we describe 15 new species, and provide redescriptions of all 13 previously described species, based on meristic, morphometric, and other morphological characters. We include notes on ecology and natural history for each species, and provide regional dichotomous keys and distribution maps, based on the examination of 12,279 specimens from 2,787 museum lots. A lectotype is designated for Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus (Hopkins, Comfort, Bastian & Bass, 1990. Brachyhypopomus species are abundant in shallow lentic and slow-flowing freshwater habitats from southern Costa Rica and northern Venezuela to Uruguay and northern Argentina. Species diversity is highest in Greater Amazonia, where 20 species occur: B. alberti, new species, B. arrayae, new species, and B. cunia, new species, in the upper rio Madeira drainage; B. batesi, new species, in the central Amazon and rio Negro; B. beebei, B. brevirostris, B. regani, new species, B. sullivani, new species, and B. walteri, widespread through the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the Guianas; B. belindae, new species, in the central Amazon basin; B. benjamini, new species, and B. verdii, new species, in the upper Amazon basin; B. bennetti, in the upper, central, and lower Amazon, lower Tocantins, and upper Madeira basins; B. bullocki in the Orinoco, Negro and Essequibo drainages; B. diazi in the Orinoco Llanos; B. flavipomus, new species, and B. hamiltoni, new species, in the central and upper Amazon basin; B. hendersoni, new species, in the central Amazon, lower Negro and Essequibo basins; B. pinnicaudatus in the central and lower Amazon, lower, upper Madeira, lower Tocantins and Mearim basins, and coastal French Guiana; and B. provenzanoi, new species, in the upper Orinoco and upper Negro basins. Five species are known from the Paraná-Paraguay-Uruguay basin and adjacent southern Atlantic drainages: B. bombilla in the lower Paraná, upper, central, and lower Paraguay, Uruguay and Patos-Mirim drainages; B. brevirostris in the upper Paraguay basin; B. draco in the lower Paraná, lower Paraguay, Uruguay, Patos-Mirim, and Tramandaí basins; B. gauderio in the lower Paraná, upper, central, and lower Paraguay, Uruguay, Patos-Mirim and Tramandaí basins; and B. walteri in the lower Paraná and upper Paraguay basins. Two species occur in small Atlantic drainages of southern Brazil: B. janeiroensis in the São João, Paraíba and small intervening drainages; and B. jureiae in the Ribeira de Iguape and Una do Prelado. One species occurs in the middle and upper São Francisco basin: B. menezesi, new species. Three species occur in trans-Andean drainages: B. diazi in Caribbean drainages of northern Venezuela; B. occidentalis in Atlantic and Pacific drainages of southern Costa Rica and Panama to Darién, and the Maracaibo, Magdalena, Sinú and Atrato drainages; and B. palenque, new species, in Pacific drainages of Ecuador.

A new vision of the origin and the oocyte development in the Ostariophysi applied to Gymnotus sylvius (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes

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Gisleine Fernanda França

Full Text Available Based on new knowledge coming from marine perciform species, the origin of oocytes and their development in the Ostariophysi, Gymnotus sylvius is described. In both Gymnotus sylvius and marine perciform fish, oogonia are found in the germinal epithelium that forms the surface of the ovarian lamellae. At the commencement of folliculogenesis, proliferation of oogonia and their entrance into meiosis gives rise to germ cell nests that extend into the stroma from the germinal epithelium. Both cell nests and the germinal epithelium are supported by the same basement membrane that separates them from the stroma. At the time of meiotic arrest, oocytes in a cell nest become separated one from the other as processes of prefollicle cells, these being derived from epithelial cells in the germinal epithelium, gradually encompass and individualize them while also synthesizing a basement membrane around themselves during folliculogenesis. The oocyte enters primary growth while still within the cell nest. At the completion of folliculogenesis, the oocyte and follicle cells, composing the follicle, are encompassed by a basement membrane. The follicle remains connected to the germinal epithelium as the both share a portion of common basement membrane. Cells originating from the stroma encompass the ovarian follicle, except where there is a shared basement membrane, to form the theca. The follicle, basement membrane and theca form the follicular complex. Oocyte development occurs inside the follicular complex. Development is divided into the stages primary and secondary growth, oocyte maturation and ovulation. Cortical alveoli appear in the ooplasm just prior to the beginning of secondary growth, the vitellogenic stage that begins with yolk deposition and proceeds until the oocyte is full-grown and the ooplasm is filled with yolk globules. Maturation is characterized by the germinal vesicle or nuclear migration, germinal vesicle breakdown or nuclear envelop fragmentation and the resumption of meiosis. At the ovulation the egg is released from the follicular complex into the ovarian lumen. When compared to marine Perciformes that lay pelagic eggs, oocyte development in Gymnotus sylvius has fewer steps within the stages of development, the two most remarkable being the absence of oil droplet formation during primary and secondary growth, (and the consequent absence of the oil droplets fusion during maturation, and the hydrolysis of yolf preceding ovulation.

Fish community structure of Juramento reservoir, São Francisco River basin, Minas Gerais, Brazil Estrutura da comunidade de peixes do reservatório de Juramento, bacia do Rio São Francisco, Minas Gerais, Brasil

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André R. M. Silva

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Many rivers in Brazil as the São Francisco (SFR have been impounded for reservoirs construction purposes. However, there is a lack of knowledge on their fish fauna in many areas, including headwaters. The present study aimed to describe the fish community structure from Juramento reservoir, located on Juramento River, a branch of SFR basin. Six bimonthly samplings were made in four different sites. Gill and cast nets, beach seines and sieves were used to collect fish. Ecological indexes as well as the relationship between fish abundance and some limnological variables were determined. 3288 fish belonging to 33 species (16.5% of the total described for SFR basin were captured, being 75.7% Characiformes, 18.1% Siluriformes, 3% Cyprinodontiformes and 3% Gymnotiformes. Only two non-native species, 'tamboatá' - Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock, 1828 and 'trairão' - Hoplias lacerdae Ribeiro, 1908 were found. The highest catches in number occurred in the dry period (March-October and the lowest one in the wet season (November-February. Diversity was higher at Barragem station and richness did not vary between reservoir zones. Five migratory species were found downstream of the dam (four exclusively there, whereas only the 'curimbatá-pioa' - Prochilodus costatus Valenciennes, 1850 occurred in the reservoir. The low observed correlations between fish abundance and the limnological variables utilized suggest that the local fish fauna is not strongly affected by their variation.No Brasil, vários rios, como os da bacia do São Francisco (RSF, são barrados para a formação de reservatórios. Entretanto, o estudo desta ictiofauna, especialmente a dos rios de cabeceira, ainda deixa a desejar. O presente estudo descreveu a estrutura da ictiofauna do reservatório de Juramento, Rio Juramento, bacia do RSF. Foram realizadas seis coletas bimestrais em quatro locais empregando-se redes de emalhar, tarrafas, arrastões e peneiras. Foram determinados �

Composición de especies y diversidad de peces en tres cuerpos de agua en la cuenca alta del río Itaya

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Javier del Águila Chávez

2013-06-01

Full Text Available En el presente trabajo se describe sobre la diversidad en tres cuerpos de agua de la cuenca alta del río Itaya, concesión de conservación de la universidad científica del Perú, en una evaluación rápida en los meses de junio y julio del 2012. Se colectaron datos y muestras de peces en Lamas cocha (LC, cocha Anguilla (CA y Tipishca Luz de Oriente (TLO. Los peces fueron colectados utilizando una batería de redes de diferentes medidas 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 y 4 pulgadas de de abertura de malla. Se reportan 17 familias taxonómicas, de las cuales 9 familias pertenecen al orden Characiformes (53%, 3 familias pertenecen al orden de los Siluriformes (17%, 2 familias pertenecen al orden de los Gymnotiformes (12% y al orden Perciformes (12% y una familia pertenece al orden Beloniformes (6%. La predominancia de las familias taxonómicas en los tres ambientes fueron Characidae, Curimatidae, Acestrorhynchidae (Characiformes y Cichlidae (Perciformes. Sin embargo, la ocurrencia de exclusividad de una determinada familia fue observada en los tres cuerpos de aguas; tenemos de esta forma la familia Hemiodontidae solo tienen ocurrencia en Lamas cocha, la ocurrencia de la familia Prochilodontidae (Characiformes y Callichthyidae (Siluriformes en Cocha Anguillal y finalmente la ocurrencia de las familias Pimelodidae (Siluriformes, Sciaenidae (Perciformes y Belonidae (Beloniformes en la Tipishca Luz de Oriente.

Composición de especies y diversidad de peces en tres cuerpos de agua en la cuenca alta del río Itaya

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Javier del Águila Chávez

2013-06-01

Full Text Available En el presente trabajo se describe sobre la diversidad en tres cuerpos de agua de la cuenca alta del río Itaya, concesión de conservación de la universidad científica del Perú, en una evaluación  rápida en los meses de junio y julio del 2012. Se colectaron datos y muestras de peces en Lamas cocha (LC, cocha Anguilla (CA y Tipishca Luz de Oriente (TLO. Los peces fueron colectados utilizando una batería de redes de diferentes medidas 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 y 4 pulgadas de de abertura de malla. Se reportan 17 familias taxonómicas, de las cuales 9 familias pertenecen al orden Characiformes (53%, 3 familias pertenecen al orden de los Siluriformes (17%, 2 familias pertenecen al orden de los Gymnotiformes (12%  y al orden Perciformes (12% y una familia pertenece al orden Beloniformes (6%. La predominancia de las familias taxonómicas en los tres ambientes fueron Characidae, Curimatidae, Acestrorhynchidae (Characiformes y Cichlidae (Perciformes. Sin embargo, la ocurrencia de exclusividad de una determinada familia fue observada en los tres cuerpos de aguas; tenemos de esta forma la familia Hemiodontidae solo tienen ocurrencia en Lamas cocha, la ocurrencia de la familia Prochilodontidae (Characiformes y Callichthyidae (Siluriformes en Cocha Anguillal y finalmente la ocurrencia de las familias Pimelodidae (Siluriformes, Sciaenidae (Perciformes y Belonidae (Beloniformes en la Tipishca Luz de Oriente.

Dynamics and stimulus-dependence of pacemaker control during behavioral modulations in the weakly electric fish, Apteronotus.

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, J

1987-08-01

1. Weakly electric fish generate around their bodies low-amplitude, AC electric fields which are used both for the detection of objects and intraspecific communication. The types of modulation in this signal of which the high-frequency wave-type gymnotiform, Apteronotus, is capable are relatively few and stereotyped. Chief among these is the chirp, a signal used in courtship and agonistic displays. Chirps are brief and rapid accelerations in the normally highly regular electric organ discharge (EOD) frequency. 2. Chirping can be elicited artificially in these animals by the use of a stimulus regime identical to that typically used to elicit another behavior, the jamming avoidance response (JAR). The neuronal basis for the JAR, a much slower and lesser alteration in EOD frequency, is well understood. Examination of the stimulus features which induce chirping show that, like the JAR, there is a region of frequency differences between the fish's EOD and the interfering signal that maximally elicits the response. Moreover, the response is sex-specific with regard to the sign of the frequency difference, with females chirping preferentially on the positive and most males on the negative Df. These features imply that the sensory mechanisms involved in the triggering of these communicatory behaviors are fundamentally similar to those explicated for the JAR. 3. Additionally, two other modulatory behaviors of unknown significance are described. The first is a non-selective rise in EOD frequency associated with a JAR stimulus, occurring regardless of the sign of the Df. This modulation shares many characteristics with the JAR. The second behavior, which we have termed a 'yodel', is distinct from and kinetically intermediate to chirping and the JAR. Moreover, unlike the other studied electromotor behaviors it is generally produced only after the termination of the eliciting stimulus.

Composição e estrutura das infracomunidades endoparasitárias de Gymnotus spp. (Pisces: Gymnotidae do rio Baía, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v26i4.1527 Composition and structure of the endoparasite infracommunities of Gymnotus spp. (Pisces: Gymnotidae of the Baía River, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v26i4.1527

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Gilberto Cezar Pavanelli

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Foram examinados 111 espécimes do gênero Gymnotus. Os peixes foram capturados em peneiras e redes de espera. Foram registradas dezesseis espécies de helmintos, estando 93,7% delas em fase larval. Ocorreram associações positivas significativas entre vinte pares de espécies de parasitas. Todas elas apresentaram um padrão de distribuição agregada na amostra de hospedeiros. Não houve tendência para dominância entre as espécies de parasitas. Hospedeiros machos e fêmeas não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre as diversidades parasitárias, mas houve influência do sexo dos hospedeiros sobre a prevalência e abundância de infecção de Tylodelphys sp. e Spiroxys sp.. Foi observado correlação positiva significativa entre o comprimento total dos hospedeiros e a prevalência e a abundância de infecção de Nomimoscolex chubbi, Contracaecum sp. 2 e Quadrigyrus machadoi. Houve relação significativa entre a prevalência de Herpetodiplostomum sp. 1, Herpetodiplostomum sp. 3, Neodiplostomum sp. e Tylodelphys sp. e o ciclo reprodutivo dos hospedeirosParasites of 111 specimens of the Gymnotus genus were analyzed. The fishes were captured in bolters and gill nets. Sixteen parasite species were recorded, being 93.7% of the species found in larval stages. Significant positive association and correlation between abundances of twenty pairs of species occurred. All the analyzed parasite species had a clumped pattern in host sample. No dominance was reported among the parasite species. Diversity of the infracommunities of male and female hosts were not different, but influence of hosts' sex in the prevalence and abundance of Tylodelphys sp. and Spiroxys sp. were observed. Significant positive correlation between hosts' total length and prevalence and abundance of Nomimoscolex chubbi, Contracaecum sp. 2 and Quadrigyrus machadoi was observed. The reproductive cycle of hosts was correlated with the Herpetodiplostomum sp. 1, Herpetodiplostomum sp. 3, Neodiplostomum sp. and Tylodelphys sp. prevalences

Utilization of the fish ladder at the Engenheiro Sergio Motta Dam, Brazil, by long distance migrating potamodromous species

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Sérgio Makrakis

Full Text Available Utilization of the fish ladder installed at the Engenheiro Sergio Motta Dam (also known as Porto Primavera on the Paraná River, Southern Brazil, by long-distance migrating potamodromous species (sampling Protocol I, and ascending and descending movements (Protocol II were evaluated. Three pools along the fish ladder (designated as lower, middle, and upper were sampled monthly between December, 2004 and March, 2005 to determine the abundance of species in the ladder. The ascending and descending movements of the species in the ladder were also analyzed in the same period. In the samples for both protocols, 37 species representing 17 families and 5 orders (Characiformes, Siluriformes, Perciformes, Gymnotiformes, and Myliobatiformes were recorded. Characiformes were represented by 21 species. Long- distance migratory species (11 species predominated in the ladder (60% of the total number of individuals, with high abundance of Rhinelepis aspera (5645 individuals. For protocol I, mean abundance varied greatly among the months and pools, with lowest values in December and March for all pools, and highest in January for the lower pool due to high capture of R. aspera. Fish abundance declined from the lower to the upper pool, especially for R. aspera and Rhaphiodon vulpinus. For Protocol II, 17 species were recorded ascending the ladder, where Astyanax altiparanae and Leporinus friderici were the most abundant species (684 and 111 individuals, respectively. However, 18 species showed descending movements, with high captures of Metynnis maculatus and A. altiparanae (339 and 319 individuals, respectively. Twelve species (52% moved in both directions, and among the seven migratory species sampled, four were recorded ascending and descending, and three species only ascending the ladder. The fish ladder appears to selectively favor species with high swimming capabilities. A discussion is presented on the requirements for future research on attraction to the

Molecular evolution of ependymin and the phylogenetic resolution of early divergences among euteleost fishes.

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Ortí, G; Meyer, A

1996-04-01

The rate and pattern of DNA evolution of ependymin, a single-copy gene coding for a highly expressed glycoprotein in the brain matrix of teleost fishes, is characterized and its phylogenetic utility for fish systematics is assessed. DNA sequences were determined from catfish, electric fish, and characiforms and compared with published ependymin sequences from cyprinids, salmon, pike, and herring. Among these groups, ependymin amino acid sequences were highly divergent (up to 60% sequence difference), but had surprisingly similar hydropathy profiles and invariant glycosylation sites, suggesting that functional properties of the proteins are conserved. Comparison of base composition at third codon positions and introns revealed AT-rich introns and GC-rich third codon positions, suggesting that the biased codon usage observed might not be due to mutational bias. Phylogenetic information content of third codon positions was surprisingly high and sufficient to recover the most basal nodes of the tree, in spite of the observation that pairwise distances (at third codon positions) were well above the presumed saturation level. This finding can be explained by the high proportion of phylogenetically informative nonsynonymous changes at third codon positions among these highly divergent proteins. Ependymin DNA sequences have established the first molecular evidence for the monophyly of a group containing salmonids and esociforms. In addition, ependymin suggests a sister group relationship of electric fish (Gymnotiformes) and Characiformes, constituting a significant departure from currently accepted classifications. However, relationships among characiform lineages were not completely resolved by ependymin sequences in spite of seemingly appropriate levels of variation among taxa and considerably low levels of homoplasy in the data (consistency index = 0.7). If the diversification of Characiformes took place in an "explosive" manner, over a relatively short period of time

Stability and spatio-temporal structure in fish assemblages of two floodplain lagoons of the lower Orinoco River

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Nirson González

Full Text Available Fish assemblage structure and variability were analyzed in two floodplain lagoons (Las Arhuacas and Los Cardonales along the lower Orinoco over a hydrological cycle. Every three months during continuous three-day sampling, experimental gill nets (5 to 12.5 cm of mesh opening and 1 mm-mesh seine nets were utilized according to the types of habitats presents. A total of 133 fish species were found in Las Arhuacas and 95 species in Cardonales. Fifty five and 17 species were exclusive to Las Arhuacas and Los Cardonales respectively, and 77 were common to both lagoons. In Las Arhuacas, the most speciesrich orders were Characiformes, Siluriformes, Perciformes and Gymnotiformes and in Los Cardonales, the most species-rich orders were Characiformes, Siluriformes, Clupeiformes and Perciformes. The richness, abundance and biomass were significantly higher (p < 0.001 in Arhuacas than in Cardonales. In general, the fishes assemblage was highly variable during the high water phase and moderately stable during low water phase in both lagoons, with more stability or less variability in Cardonales than Arhuacas. Also, there were significant differences in the fish assemblages between the two lagoons, mainly during low waters (ANOSIM; p < 0.001. The species that contributed most to the mean dissimilarity between the lagoons were Hypostomus argus, Aphanotorulus ammophilus, Potamorhina altamazonica, Prochilodus mariae, Loricaria gr. cataphracta, Oxydoras sifontesi, Hydrolycus armatus, Hyphopthalmus edentatus and Pterodoras rivasi. The last four species were more commonly collected in Los Cardonales. Also, the species of small size (mainly SL < 5 cm such as Rhinosardinia amazonica, Moenkhausia sp. 1 "lepidura", Moenkhausia sp. 2, Aphyocharax alburnus, Characidium sp. 1, Moenkhausia sp. 3, Exodon paradoxus and Roeboides dientonito contributed to the mean dissimilarity among the beach and aquatic vegetation habitats. The patterns of the species assemblage

Hypopomus Gill: nova apomorfia e notas sobre suas relações filogenéticas (Teleostei, Gymnotiformes, Rhamphichthyoidea Hypopomus Gill: new apomorphy and notes on its phylogenetic relationships (Teleostei, Gymnotioformes, Rhamphichthoidea

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Mauro L. Triques

2007-01-01

Full Text Available O monofiletismo de Hypopomus Gill, 1864 é corroborado pela presença de canto da boca curvo para cima, homoplasticamente também em Steatogenys Boulenger, 1898. Sua sinonímia com Parupygus Hoedeman, 1962 é corroborada. Três de sete apomorfias previamente atribuídas para definir o monofiletismo de Hypopomidae são refutadas (região posterior do paresfenóide estreita, depressão na face dorsal do basi-hial e opérculo trapezoidal e outras quatro são propostas para unir Hypopomus a Rhamphichthyidae (mandíbula incluída; alongamento anterior do dentário; cartilagem palatina alongada e processo ascendente do mesopterigóide curvo para trás. Assim, estudos mais elaborados são necessários para avaliar a posição filogenética do gênero.The monophyly of Hypopomus Gill, 1864 is corroborated, on the basis of the presence of mouth corner upturned, homoplastically also in Steatogenys Boulenger, 1898. Its synonymy with Parupygus Hoedeman, 1962 is corroborated. Three of seven synapomorphies attributed to the monophyly of Hypopomidae are refuted (posterior region of parasphenoid narrow, depression on the dorsal surface of bashyal and trapezoidal opercle and four other are presented to unite Hypopomus to Rhamphichthyidae (lower jaw included; anterior elongation of dentary; elongation of palatine cartilage and ascending process of mesopterygoid backward curved. Thus, further studies are necessary to assess the phylogenetic position of the genus.

Perfil Ictiofaunístico de duas Lagoas no Rio Paraná, Região do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande - PR. = Ictiofaunistic profile of two Rio Paraná lagoons, Region of Ilha Grande National Park - PR.

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Wladimir M. Domingues

2008-07-01

Full Text Available O Rio Paraná é o décimo maior do mundo em descarga e nele se encontra a região do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, que é formada por um conjunto de ilhas, lagoas e várzeas periodicamente alagadas, sendo estas de extrema importância para os peixes, servindo de refúgio contra predação, berçário natural e áreas de alimentação para muitas espécies de peixes. Este artigo apresenta um levantamento icitiofaunístico nas lagoas Saraiva e São João, situadas no Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, com enfoque nas variações espaço-temporais, na composição específica e estrutura etária das assembléias de peixes, sendo que estes foram amostrados em coletas trimestrais, utilizando-se redes de espera de diferentes malhagens. Em termos de número de indivíduos capturados e proporção, tem-se 54% das espécies pertencentes a ordem Characiformes, 42% a Siruliformes, 3% a Perciformes. Rajiformes e Gymnotiformes contribuíram com menos de 1,5% do total das capturas. Na lagoa Saraiva foram capturadas 34 espécies pertencentes a cinco ordens e 17 famílias, destacando-se numericamente Loricariichthys platymetopon, Raphiodon vulpinus, Serrasalmus marginatus e Plagioscion squamosissimus. As maiores contribuições em peso foram proporcionadas por R. vulpinus, Potanotrygon motoro, P. squamosissimus e S. marginatus. Na lagoa São João ocorreram 46 espécies pertencentes a cinco ordens e 17 famílias, destacando-se em número L. platymetopon, Acestrohynchus lacustris, Serrasalmus spilopleura e S. marginatus. Em peso, Prochilodus lineatus, A. lacustris, L. platymetopon e Serrasalmus spilopleura foram as mais representativas. Destaca-se que a maioria das espécies registradas em ambas as lagoas são típicas de ambientes lênticos, utilizando esses locais para seu desenvolvimento e crescimento. = Paraná River is the tenth river in the world concerning to discharge and surrounding it Ilha Grande National Park region is localized, wich is formed by a