Ichthyofauna from three protected areas in southeastern Peru
Program and abstracts of the combined meetings of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Herpetologists' League, 17th Annual Larval Fish Conference, American Elasmobranch Society
1993
Conference Proceedings
241
The University of Texas at Aus
Pampas del Heath Heath River Reserva Nacional Tambopata Parque Nacional del Manu Parque Nacional Bahuaja-Sonene inventories fish aquatic habitats diversity animals long-term monitoring intermediate spatial scales rivers habitat heterogeneity vegetation ecology oxbow lakes Madre de Dios Bibliography
During the past 10 years a long term survey of the ichthyofauna of southeastern Peru has been carried out, especially at the Tambopata Reserved Zone, Manu National Park and National Sanctuary of Pampas del Heath. Different habitats belonging to distinct types of waters at different elevations (200-900 m) and associated with various aquatic vegetation are described. Sampling time and effort were not equal for each area, being larger for Manu than Tambopata or Pampas del Heath; species number recorded were respectively 174, 140 and 102. The ichthyofauna is dominated by the Ostariophysi (80%). About 60% of the species are found in the three areas; the differences in faunal composition are related to those species of small size and those found in torrential waters in the upper courses versus those from black, still waters in the lowlands. The hypothesis is that, with equal collecting effort, the species number probably will be higher in the Pampas del Heath, than Manu or Tambopata.