Identificação taxonômica das espécies do gênero apistogramma (perciformes: cichlldae) da coleção ictiológica do museu paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG)

Abstract

The genus Apistogramma has 69 nominal species and a further 25 undescribed. They are small fishes (< 60 mm) and show notable sexual dimorphism. They are diagnosed by a combination of characters involving, reduced number of the first outer ceratobranchial gill tracks, three and rarely four to six spines on the anal fin and 14 to 18 spines on the dorsal fin. Most species have a fairly limited geographic distribution, rarely with a distribution beyond a major basin. The aim of this work was to systematically study the fish specimens of the genus Apistogramma, (Cichlidae, Perciformes) from the ichthyological collection of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG). The specimens were analyzed with the aid of a stereomicroscope and measured with the aid of a Mitutoyo model caliper to the tenth of a millimeter. Species identification was based on specific bibliography for the family Cichlidae and for the genus Apistogramma. A total of 290 individuals distributed in 91 plots were analyzed. The identifications of A. agassizii, A. eunotus, A. gephyra, A. piauensis, A. pertensis, A. diplotaenia, A. luelingi, A. paucisquamis, were maintained, however, specimens previously identified as A. spn. were re-identified as A. meinkeni (9 exs), as well as A. commbrae, re-identified as A. reticulosa (6 exs). Apistogrammas sp. were identified as A. reticulosa (31 exs.), A. agassizii (24 exs.), A. commbrae (9 exs.), Ceophagus sp. (4 exs.), Bujurquina sp. (2 exs.) and Taeniacara sp. (1 ex.). There was an expansion in the distribution of three species, namely: A. lueling, A. meinkeni and A. commbrae.