Abstract
We studied the timing of migratory fish spawning in the last dam-free stretch of the upper Paraná River and in Itaipu Reservoir. Eggs were more common in the Amambai and Ivaï Rivers, while larvae predominated in the Paraná River and in Itaipu Reservoir. Both eggs and larvae were more abundant at night. The highest abundance of eggs was in October and that of larvae in November. Migratory species predominated in the Amambai and Paraná Rivers, and non-migratory species in the Ivaï River and Itaipu Reservoir. The predominance of eggs in the upper and middle portions, and larvae in the lower, infer that there are spawning sites in the former and nurseries in the latter. The high nocturnal abundance of eggs is associated with spawning at sunset and that of larvae with feeding, avoidance of predators and nocturnal disorientation. The presence of tributaries such as the Amambai and Ivaí Rivers in the last dam-free stretch of the Paraná River is extremely important to the maintenance of regional fish diversity and fish stocks in both the Paraná River and Itaipu Reservoir.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agostinho, A. A. & H. F. Júlio, Jr. 1999. —Peixes da bacia do alto rio Paraná. pp. 374–400. In:R. H. Lowe-McConnell (ed.) Estudos ecológicos de comunidades de peixes tropicais, Traduçaõ de A. E. A. A. Vazzoler, A. A. Agostinho & P. T. M. Cunningham, EDUSP, Saõ Paulo.
Agostinho, A. A., H. F. Júlio, Jr. & J. R. Borghetti. 1992. —Considerações sobre os impactos dos represamentos na ictiofauna e medidas para sua atenuaçaõ. Um estudo de caso: reservatório de Itaipu. Rev. Unimar 14:89–107.
Agostinho, A. A., A. E. A. M. Vazzoler, L. C. Gomes & E. K. Okada. 1993. —Estrati cación espacial y comportamiento de Prochilodus scrofa en distintas fases del ciclo de vida, en la planôcie de inundación del alto rio Parana ´y embalse de Itaipu, Parana ´, Brasil. Rev. D ´Hydrobiol. Tropic. 26:79–90.
Agostinho, A. A., A. E. A. M. Vazzoler & S. M. Thomaz. 1995. The high Parana ´River basin:Limnological and ichthyological aspects. pp. 59–104. In:J. G. Tundisi, C. E. M. Bicudo & T. Matsumura-Tundisi (eds.)Limnology in Brazil, Brazilian Academy of Science/Brazilian Limnological Society, Rio de Janeiro.
Agostinho, A. A., H. F. Júlio, Jr., L. C. Gomes, L. M. Bini & C. S. Agostinho. 1997. Composiçaõ, abundância e distribuiçaõ espaço-temporal da ictiofauna. pp. 179–208. In:A. E. A. M Vazzoler, A. A. Agostinho & N. S. Hahn (eds.), A planôcie de inundaçaõ do alto rio Parana ´:Aspectos fôsicos, biológicos e socioeconômicos, EDUEM, Maringá.
Agostinho, A. A., S. M. Thomaz, C. V. Minte-Vera & K. O. Winemiller. 2000. Biodiversity in the high Parana ´River floodplain. pp. 89–118. In:B. Gopal, W. J. Junk & J. A. Davis (eds.)Biodiversity in Wetlands:Assessment, Function and Conservation, Backhuys Publishers, Leiden.
Agostinho, A. A., L. C. Gomes, H. I. Suzuki & H. F. Júlio, Jr. 2003. Migratory shes of the upper Parana ´River Basin, Brazil. pp. 19–99. In:J. Carolsfeld, B. Harvey, C. Ross & A. Baer (eds.), Migratory Fishes of South America:Biology, Fisheries and Conservation Status, World Fisheries Trust, Victoria.
Ahlstrom, E. H. & H. G. Moser. 1976. Eggs and larvae of fishes and their role in systematic investigations and in sheries. Rev. Travaux L 'Inst. Peches Maritimes 40:378–398.
Armstrong, M. L. & A. V. Brown. 1983. Diel drift and feeding of channel cat sh alevins in the Illinois River, Arkansas. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 112:302–307.
Baumgartner, M. S. T. 1992. Distribuicaõ espacial e temporal de larvas de curvina, Plagioscion squamosissimus, (Heckel, 1840) (Osteichthyes, Perciformes)na planôcie de inundacaõ do alto rio Parana ´-MS. Monograph, Universidade Estadual de Maringa ´, Maringá. 91 pp.
Baumgartner, G., K. Nakatani, M. Cavicchioli & M. S. T. Baumgartner. 1997. Some aspects of the ecology of sh larvae in the floodplain of high Parana ´River, Brazil. Rev. Bras. Zool. 14:551–563.
Baumgartner, M. S. T., K. Nakatani, G. Baumgartner & M. C. Makrakis. 2003. Spatial and temporal distribution of 'curvina 'larvae (Plagioscion squamosissimus Heckel, 1840)and its relationship to some environmental variables in the upper Parana ´River floodplain, Brazil. Braz. J. Biol. 63.
Bialetzki, A., P. V. Sanches, G. Baumgartner & K. Nakatani. 1998. Caracterizacaõ morfológica e distribuicaõ temporal de larvas e juvenis de Apareiodon affinis (Steindachner)(Osteichthyes, Parodontidae)no alto rio Parana ´, Paraná. Rev. Bras. Zool. 15:1037–1047.
Bialetzki, A., P. V. Sanches, M. Cavicchioli, G. Baumgartner, R. P. Ribeiro & K. Nakatani. 1999. Drift of ichthyoplankton in two channels of the Parana ´River, between Parana ´and Mato Grosso do Sul States, Brazil. Braz. Arch. Biol. TechNol. 42:53–60.
Bialetzki, A., K. Nakatani, P. V. Sanches & G. Baumgartner. 2002. Spatial and temporal distribution of larvae and juveniles of Hoplias aff. malabaricus (Characiformes, Erythrinidae)in the upper Parana ´River. floodplain, Brazil. Braz. J. Biol. 62:211–222.
Castro, R. J., K. Nakatani, A. Bialetzki, P. V. Sanches & G. Baumgartner. 2002. Temporal distribution and composition of the ichthyoplankton from Leopoldo 's Inlet on the upper Parana ´River. floodplain (Brazil). J. Zool. 256:437–443.
Cavicchioli, M., K. Nakatani & O. A. Shibatta. 1997. Morphometric variation of larvae and juveniles of the piranhas Serrasalmus spilopleura and S. marginatus (Characidae:Serrasalminae)of the Parana ´basin, Brazil. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters 8:97–106.
Elliott, J. M. 1966. Downstream movements of trout fry (Salmo trutta)in a Dartmoor Stream. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 23: 157–159.
Gale, W. F. & H. W. Mohr, Jr. 1978. Larval drift in a large river with a comparison of sampling methods. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 107:46–55.
Gido, K. B. & W. J. Mathews. 2000. Dynamics of the o. shore sh assemblage in a Southwestern reservoir (Lake Texoma, Oklahoma-Texas). Copeia 4:917–930.
Godoy, M. P. 1954. Locais de desova de peixes num trecho do rio Mogi Guassu, Estado de Saõ Paulo, Brasil. Rev. Bras. Biol. 14:375–396.
Godoy, M. P. 1975. Peixes do Brasil-subordem Characoidei: Bacia do rio Mogi Guassu, vol. 4, Editora Franciscana, Piracicaba. 847 pp.
Gomes, L. C. & A. A. Agostinho. 1997. Influence of the flooding regime on the nutritional state and juvenile recruitment of the curimba, Prochilodus scrofa, Steindachner, in upper Parana ´ River, Brazil. Fish. Manage. Ecol. 4:263–274.
Graaf, G. J., A. F. Born, A. M. K. Uddin & S. Huda. 1999. Larval fish movement in the River Lohajang, Tangail, Bangladesh. Fish. Manage. Ecol. 6:109–120.
Hempel, G. 1973. Fish egg and larval surveys (Contributions to a manual). FAO Fish. Tech. Papers 122:1–82.
Johnston, T. A., M. N. Gaboury, R. A. Janusz & L. R. Janusz. 1995. Larval fish drift in the Valley River, Manitoba:influence of abiotic and biotic factors, and relationships with future year-class strengths. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 52: 2423–2431.
Lansac-Tôha, F. A., S. M. Thomaz, A. F. Lima, M. C. Roberto & A. P. P. Garcia. 1995. Vertical distribution of some planktonic crustaceans in a 'varzea 'lake (Lake Pousada das Garcas)of the floodplain of high river Parana ´, MS, Brazil. Int. J. Ecol. Environ. Sci. 21:67–78.
Lowe-McConnell, R. H. 1987. Ecological Studies in Tropical Fish Communities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 387 pp.
Makrakis, M. C., K. Nakatani, A. Bialetzki, P. V. Sanches & G. Baumgartner. 2003. Ontogenetic shifts in digestive tract morphology and diet of fish larvae of the Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil. Environ. Biol. Fish. 68.
Naesje, T. F., B. Jonsson & O. T. Sandlund. 1986. Drift of cisco and white fish larvae in a Norwegian River. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 115:89–93.
Nakatani, K. 1994. Estudo do ictioplâncton no reservatório de Itaipu (rio Parana ´-Brasil):levantamento das a ´reas de desova. P h. D. Thesis, Universidade Federal do Parana ´, Curitiba. 253 pp.
Nakatani, K., J. D. Latini, G. Baumgartner & M. S. T. Baumgartner. 1993. Distribuicaõ espacial e temporal de larvas de curvina Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel, 1840)(Osteichthyes Sciaenidae), no reservatório de Itaipu. Rev. Unimar 15:191–209.
Nakatani, K., G. Baumgartner & M. Cavicchioli. 1997a. Ecologia de ovos e larvas de peixes. pp. 281–306. In:A. E. A. M. Vazzoler, A. A. Agostinho & N. S. Hahn (eds.)A planôcie de inundacaõ do alto rio Parana ´:Aspectos fôsicos, biológicos e socioeconômicos, EDUEM, Maringá.
Nakatani, K., G. Baumgartner & M. S. T. Baumgartner. 1997b. Larval development of Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel) (Perciformes, Sciaenidae)of Itaipu reservoir (Parana ´River, Brazil). Rev. Bras. Zool. 14:35–44.
Nakatani, K., G. Baumgartner & J. D. Latini. 1998. Morphological description of larvae of the mapara ´Hypophthalmus edentatus (Spix)(Osteichthyes, Hypophthalmidae)in the Itaipu reservoir (Parana ´River-Brazil). Rev. Bras. Zool. 15: 687–696.
Nakatani, K., A. A. Agostinho, G. Baumgartner, A. Bialetzki, P. V. Sanches, M. Cavicchioli-Makrakis & C. S. Pavanelli. 2001. Ovos e Larvas de peixes de a ´gua doce:Desenvolvi-mento e manual de identi caçaõ, EDUEM/Nupe ´lia, Maringá. 349 pp.
Paiva, M. P. 1982. Grandes represas do Brasil, Editerra Editorial, Brasôlia. 292 pp.
Peters, R. K. 1986. The role of prediction in limnology. Limnol. Oceanogr. 31:1143–1159.
Sanches, P. V., K. Nakatani & A. Bialetzki. 1999. Morphological description of the developmental stages of Parauchenipterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766)(Siluriformes, Auchenipteridae)on the floodplain of the upper Parana ´ River. Rev. Bras. Biol. 59:429–438.
Tanaka, S. 1973. Stock assessment by means of ichthyoplankton surveys. FAO Fish. Tech. Papers 122:33–51.
Vazzoler, A. E. A. M. 1996. Biologia da reproducaõ de peixes teleósteos:Teoria e pra ´tica, EDUEM, Maringá. 169 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baumgartner, G., Nakatani, K., Gomes, L. et al. Identification of spawning sites and natural nurseries of fishes in the upper Paraná River, Brazil. Environmental Biology of Fishes 71, 115–125 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-004-0098-z
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-004-0098-z