ACSI Funding Proposal 05-46 – Trichomycterus from southeastern Brazil
Technical report on field collections in Southeastern Brazil
(April 2006 to March 2007)
Abstract
Four expeditions were performed between April/2006 and March/2007 for
collecting fishes of the genus Trichomycterus. A total of 24 sets of Trichomycterus were
collected at headwaters and upper segments of the São Francisco, Paraíba do Sul and
Paraná river basins and shorter coastal basins, in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito
Santo (Southeastern Brazil). Eight of these sets could be putative new species.
Activities
Three expeditions were projected to explore the headwaters and upper
segments of streams in three special regions: São Francisco, Paraíba do Sul and Paraná
river basins and smaller coastal basins, in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo
(Southeastern Brazil).
Once funds were available and the wheater was favorable the expeditions
started.
The first expedition was performed in April/2006. Small drainages of the
basins of Paraíba do Sul and São Francisco rivers, in the municipalities of Juiz de Fora,
Lima Duarte, Santa Bárbara, Rio Acima and Ouro Preto, in the state of Minas Gerais,
were surveyed. Although the streams were overflowing, we got partial success, with
seven sets of Trichomycterus collected, one of them with a specimen of Trichomycterus
immaculatus and a new species for which description is being provided.
The second and third expedition were performed in September and
November/2006, respectively. We explored small streams, tributaries of the Grande
river, of the Paraná river basin, in the municipalities of Passos, Cristais, Carrancas and
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ACSI Funding Proposal 05-46 – Trichomycterus from southeastern Brazil
Barbacena, in the state of Minas Gerais. The two trips were successful with 13 sets of
Trichomycterus and five probable new species.
We still conducted one fourth collection trip in February-March/2007 to
explore affluent streams of coastal basins in the municipalities of Mimoso do Sul,
Domingos Martins, Fundão and Santa Teresa, in the state of Espírito Santo. Although
the conditions of the region were very modified due to strong rains that had destroyed
bridges and part of the roads, our fourth trip was also successful with four sets of
Trichomycterus collected and two probable new species.
Some sets are underrepresented due to the difficult conditions in some regions
during the expeditions, with insufficient specimen number for accomplishment of the
description work. However, they are important indications of probable new species in
the regions from where they come. One of the sets collected in the second trip with a
probable new species of Trichomycterus possesses enough number of individuals for
description, although they are all quite juvenile; moreover, three expected new species
of Trichomycterus had not been found yet. Thus we intend to return soon to these
regions for new gatherings. For the moment, eight new species are being prepared for
description.
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