Journal of
Applied Ichthyology J. Appl. Ichthyol. (2014), 1–3 © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH ISSN 0175–8659
Received: July 8, 2013 Accepted: December 12, 2013 doi: 10.1111/jai.12436
Technical contribution Length-weight relationships of dominant fish species from Caxiuan~a National Forest, Eastern Amazon, Brazil By T. M. S. Freitas1, B. S. Prudente2, N. F. Fontoura3 and L. F. A. Montag2 1
Faculdade de Ci^ encias Naturais, Campus Univerist ario do Maraj o-Breves, Universidade Federal do Par a (UFPA), Conjunto Bandeirante, Breves, PA, Brazil; 2Laborat orio de Ecologia e Zoologia dos Vertebrados, Instituto de Ci^ encias Biol ogicas, Universidade Federal do Par a (UFPA), Bel em, PA, Brazil; 3Faculdade de Bioci^ encias, Pontifıcia Universidade Cat olica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Summary The present work presents parameters of the length–weight relationships (LWR) for 12 species of freshwater fish from rivers within the Caxiuan~a National Forest, Eastern Amazon. Data coverage include the main taxonomic groups in the sampling area: Characiformes: Acestrorhynchidae, Anostomidae, Curimaridae, Erythrinidae, Hemiodontidae; Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae; Perciformes: Sciaenidae. LWR parameters are estimated for the first time for five species: Leporinus affinis, Bryconops melanurus, Pygopristis denticulata, Serrasalmus gouldingi and Triportheus albus. Relative growth patterns were evenly distributed among species, onethird showing negative allometry (b < 3; n = 4), isometry (b = 3; n = 4) or positive allometry (b > 3; n = 4).
the main source of dietary protein for many Amazonian communities. Thus, the present study aims to provide fundamental information about the length-weight relationships of common fish species from rivers of the Caxiuan~ a National Forest, one of the most important protected areas in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil.
Materials and methods Study area
The samplings were carried out in the Caxiuan~ a National Forest (1°450 27.5″S; 51°270 33.2″W), located in the Eastern Amazon, between the Xingu and Tocantins rivers, State of Par a, Brazil. The sampling area is described as a blackwater river of a lowland amazon rainforest, just above sea level.
Introduction The relationship between body length and weight has been studied since the late 19th century and is an important tool to depict many aspects concerning the life cycle of fish (for revision, see Le Cren, 1951; Froese, 2006). The length-weight relationships (LWR) reflect the energy budget in relation to time and space, suggesting the evolutionary strategy of an evolving cladus. The LWR can also be a useful tool to identify the reproductive cycle and feeding conditions of fish populations (Wootton, 1998; Camara et al., 2011). In addition, LWR parameters of fish species are key factors for fitting weight growth curves, and are necessary for managing fishery resources in the classic Dynamic Pool Model (Beverton and Holt, 1957) and similar approaches (Froese, 2006). Within the highly diverse Amazon region, few studies have been conducted to provide length-weight relationships (Ruffino and Isaac, 1995; Giarrizzo et al., 2011). Although these relationships are easily obtained, they have not been recorded for several common species, especially those not commercially important (Freire et al., 2009). Considering the need to understand the fish life cycles, this information becomes very relevant, especially in this region where fish stocks represent
Sampling and data analysis
Fish samples were collected in March and April (flood period) and November-December (dry period) of 2004, using gillnets (mesh size: 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 12 cm, opposite knots). Animals were processed in the field, measured to the nearest centimeter (total length, Lt) and weighed to the nearest gram (weight, W). Voucher specimens are deposited in the ichthyology collection of the Museu Paraense Emılio Goeldi MPEG (Par a, Brazil), with voucher numbers between MPEG 8100 and MPEG 9368. The length-weight relationship followed the model first proposed by J€ arvi (1920), apud Froese (2006), W = a*Ltb, which considers that the relative body proportions increase according to a, defined as the coefficient of proportionality, and b, the coefficient of allometry. The equation parameters were estimated using the curve estimation routine (least squares adjustment of log transformed data) in the SPSSâ 17.0 software package, after exclusion of outliers identified through a Log(W)*Log(Lt) plot. Only fish species with at least 30 individuals are presented.
5–21.5 6–27 5–17.5
47 182 74 62
Erythrinidae Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794)
123
11.5–39
5.5–18.5
8–20.5
483
355
10–23.5
74
27–1312
5–165
9–88
16–252
24–1234
3–177
3–329 8–708
8–31 15–97
13–315
13–380
Weight range (g)
0.0195 (0.0146–0.0244)
0.0184 (0.0146–0.0222)
0.0167 (0.0131–0.0203)
0.0084 (0.0060–0.0108)
0.0125 (0.0084–0.0166)
0.0269 (0.0188–0.0350)
0.0329 (0.0199–0.0459) 0.0136 (0.0114–0.0157)
0.0390 (0.0276–0.0504) 0.0332 (0.0133–0.0532)
0.0153 (0.0096–0.0210)
0.0220 (0.0184–0.0255)
a (95% CL)
Estimated parameters
2.97 (2.89–3.06)
3.13 (3.05–3.22)
2.80 (2.72–2.88)
3.27 (3.16–3.37)
3.13 (3.02–3.23)
3.05 (2.93–3.17)
3.02 (2.87–3.18) 3.32 (3.26–3.37)
2.65 (2.52–2.77) 2.67 (2.46–2.89)
3.04 (2.90–3.17)
2.72 (2.66–2.78)
b (95% CL)
0.977
0.940
0.908
0.982
0.985
0.973
0.971 0.987
0.932 0.915
0.987
0.969
R²
0.0073–0.0310
0.0233–0.0420
0.0070–0.0134
0.0019–0.0074
0.007–0.031
0.0035–0.0051
0.0131–0.0159
a
Published values
2.94–3.15
2.47–2.69
2.68–2.90
3.08–3.53
2.98–3.08
3.38–3.51
2.67–2.74
b
Ruffino and Isaac (1995), Benedito-Cecılio et al. (1997), Gubiani et al. (2009); Froese and Pauly (2013)
Benedito-Cecılio et al. (1997), Giarrizzo et al. (2011) Giarrizzo et al. (2011)
Giarrizzo et al. (2011)
Ruffino and Isaac (1995), Benedito-Cecılio et al. (1997), Gubiani et al. (2009), Nu~ ner and Zaniboni-Filho (2009), Froese and Pauly (2013)
Giarrizzo et al. (2011)
Giarrizzo et al. (2011)
Source
Sample size (N), length and weight range are by species; estimated a and b values with confidence limits (95%), determination coefficient (R²), and published a and b values. *Represents the publication of the LWR parameters for the first time.
Perciformes Sciaenidae Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel, 1840)
Auchenipterichthys longimanus (G€ unther, 1864)
Hemiodontidae Hemiodus unimaculatus (Bloch, 1794) Siluriformes Auchenipteridae Ageneiosus ucayalensis Castelnau, 1855
7.5–13 10–19
126 58
11–38
9–30
10.5–37
30
267
Characiformes Acestrorhynchidae Acestrorhynchus microlepis (Schomburgk, 1841)
Anostomidae Leporinus affinis G€ unther, 1864 (*) Characidae Bryconops melanurus (Bloch, 1794) (*) Triportheus albus Cope, 1872 (*) Serrasalmidae Pygopristis denticulata (Cuvier. 1819) (*) Serrasalmus gouldingi Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992 (*) Curimaridae Cyphocharax abramoides (Kner. 1859)
N
Order/Family/Species
Length range (cm)
Table 1 Length-weight relationships of dominant fish species, Caxiuan~a National Forest, Eastern Amazon, Brazil 2 T. M. S. Freitas et al.
LWR of fishes from Eastern Amazon
3
Results and discussion
References
A total of 1881 specimens representing 12 different fish species belonging to nine families and three orders were analyzed. Table 1 summarizes data concerning sample size, minimum and maximum length and weight for each species, the parameters of the length-weight relationship with confidence intervals (95%), and, for comparison purpose, information available from the literature. Species with coefficient of determination (R2) below 0.9 were excluded from the data set (originally 15 species). According to the allometric coefficient b and confidence interval, the species Leporinus affinis, Pygopristis denticulata, Cyphocharax abramoides and Plagioscion squamosissimus showed an isometric growth pattern (b = 3); Acestrorhynchus microlepis, Bryconops melanurus, Triportheus albus and Ageneiosus ucayalensis presented negative allometry (b < 3); and Serrasalmus gouldingi, Hoplias malabaricus, Hemiodus unimaculatus and Auchenipterichthys longimanus showed a positive allometric growth (b > 3). As presented here, the growth patterns of the analyzed species corroborate the expected values of the allometric coefficient b (2.5–3.5) as defined by Carlander (1969), Froese (2006). The allometric growth factor (b) for A. microlepis, H. malabaricus, H. unimaculatus, A. ucayalensis, and P. squamosissimus is estimated to be in the same value range as described in the literature. C. abramoides is estimated as isometric (b = 3), although previous publications show a positive allometry (b > 3; Giarrizzo et al., 2011). In contrast, A. longimanus, formerly described as having negative allometry (b < 3), is now identified as presenting positive allometry. The proportionality coefficient a was estimated as being from 0.0084 to 0.0390, and considering species with isometric growth, was from 0.0153 to 0.0329, in the range already predicted for major of the fish species (Froese, 2006).
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Acknowledgements We are grateful to the Coordenacß~ao de Aperfeicßoamento de Pessoal de Nıvel Superior (CAPES), World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Brazil), Fundo Nacional do Meio Ambiente (FNMA/ MMA), Programa de Pesquisas em Biodiversidade (PPBio/ CNPq) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientıfico e Tecnol ogico (CNPq) for the financial support. We also thank Mr. Renato Vaz Calixto and Mr. Benedito Braz~ao for assistance in the field.
Author’s address: T. M. S. Freitas, Faculdade de Ci^encias Naturais, Campus Univeristario do Maraj o-Breves, Universidade Federal do Para (UFPA), Conjunto Bandeirante, Aeroporto, 68800-000 Breves, PA, Brazil. E-mail:
[email protected]
