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Life history of Gymnotus refugio (Gymnotiformes; Gymnotidae): an endangered species of weakly electric fish

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Abstract

The present study describes the life history of Gymnotus refugio, a species classified as Endangered in the last published list of threatened species of the Brazilian fauna. The study was conducted at a conservation unity that protect one of the last remaining semideciduous forests in the region. The reproductive period was estimated as occurring from the end of winter to the last summer months. Gymnotus refugio exibited fractional spawning, the lowest relative fecundity registered among the Gymnotifomes species studied at the present, and male parental care behavior. The analyses showed a seasonal pattern on the species diet, associating different food categories to winter, autumn, and spring. According to food items analysis and estimated intestinal quotient, G. refugio was classified as invertivorous, feeding mainly on autochthonous insects. The results obtained herein suggest that the position of G. refugio as an Endangered species might be influenced by its territoriality, habitat specificity, parental care behavior, and low fecundity, reinforcing the importance of swampy forest environment conservation as the only means of the species maintenance.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to André Osorio Rosa, director of Refúgio da Vida Silvestre Banho dos Pachecos conservation unity for supporting the collect expedition in the area. This project was funded by Programa Nacional de Pós Doutorado—PNPD-CAPES (process 2282/09), and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq (process 476821/2003-7; 478002/2006-8).

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  1. Laboratório de Ictiologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43435, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91501-970, Brazil

    Aline Salvador Vanin, Julia Giora & Clarice Bernhardt Fialho

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  1. Aline Salvador Vanin
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  2. Julia Giora
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  3. Clarice Bernhardt Fialho
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Correspondence to Julia Giora.

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Field work and sampling were executed according to the Authorization for Scientific Activities (number 25542–1) concede by the Sistema de Autorização e Informação em Biodiversidade − SISBIO of the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade − ICMBio. ICMBio Authorization for Scientific Activities is obligatory for any research project that includes field work in the Brazilian territory. Ethical approval was obtained through the Comissão de Ética no Uso de Animais − CEUA of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul − UFRGS, where the study was conducted.

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Vanin, A.S., Giora, J. & Fialho, C.B. Life history of Gymnotus refugio (Gymnotiformes; Gymnotidae): an endangered species of weakly electric fish. Environ Biol Fish 100, 69–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-016-0556-z

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