Variação temporal na reprodução de espécies de caracídeos de pequeno porte (Characiformes) associadas a bancos de herbáceas aquáticas em uma área de várzea na Amazônia central brasileira

Abstract

The Amazon floodplains are structurally complex areas with high biodiversity and strong seasonal dynamics. Despite the obvious importance of the flood pulse in the temporal dynamics of floodplain areas, species that inhabit these environments have different reproductive strategies that may accompany or not the seasonal variations in river levels. The reproductive strategies of fish inhabiting seasonal environments in South America may be grouped into three types: seasonal, equilibrium and opportunistic. Most of small characins are included in opportunistic strategy. Most characins inhabit low predictability hydrological environments such as streams and small rivers, however, they can also be found in the Amazon floodplain, an environment subjected to regular and predictable seasonal variations. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the influence of hydrometric cycle on the reproduction of small characins that inhabit aquatic herbaceous banks in a floodplain area in central Amazonia. We hypothesized that these fish have reproductive strategy according to seasonality of the flood pulse. Thus, just as medium and large sized characids, the small species tend to concentrate the reproductive activity during high waters (rising and flood period), which coincides with high vegetative growth of aquatic herbaceous. Many species of characins were captured and a group of seven species of characins were selected for this study (Aphyocharax avary, Ctenobrycon spilurus diagonicus Hemigrammus, Hyphessobrycon eques, Moenkhausia dichroura, M. gracilima and Serrapinnus micropterus). Sampling were carried out at a monthly basis (from December/2013 to November/2014) at Catalão area, in banks of aquatic herbaceous using small net. In the laboratory, all specimens were weighed, measured and had their gonadal and cavity fat information registered. Mean gonadosomatic (RGS) and fat index for each month and hydrometric period were estimated and Reproductive intensity (IR) was calculated for the assembly. Three species showed evidence of higher reproductive activity sometime between flood and receding water level (H. diagonicus, eques H. and S. micropterus) and two during the rising of the water (M. dichroura and M.gracilima). This pattern was confirmed by all analysis used. The IR analysis showed that the area of Catalão may be considered a reproduction area for the species considered. There were significant inverse correlation between the IR and the Negro River water level quota and the Solimões River flow. The regressions between the IR and the flow of the Solimões River and Negro River water level showed high correlation between the variables. Although not significant, there is a general pattern of inverse IR relationship with the other two environmental variables, precipitation and flow of the Negro River. The results of this study indicate that the species analyzed have reproductive characteristics of species whose reproduction is linked to seasonality of the river, similar to medium-sized fish of the great rivers. Thus, the rising and flood periods are extremely important for reproduction and recruitment of small characins that live in the Amazonian floodplains.