Goliath catfish spawning in the far western Amazon confirmed by the distribution of mature adults, drifting larvae and migrating juveniles

We mapped the inferred long-distance migrations of four species of Amazonian goliath catfishes ( Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii, B. platynemum, B. juruense and B. vaillantii ) based on the presence of individuals with mature gonads and conducted statistical analysis of the expected long-distance downs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-02, Vol.7 (1), p.41784-41784, Article 41784
Main Authors: Barthem, Ronaldo B., Goulding, Michael, Leite, Rosseval G., Cañas, Carlos, Forsberg, Bruce, Venticinque, Eduardo, Petry, Paulo, Ribeiro, Mauro L. de B., Chuctaya, Junior, Mercado, Armando
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/158/2459
631/158/672
Age Factors
Animal Migration
Animals
Catfishes
Fish
Freshwater fish
Geography
Gonads
Homing behavior
Humanities and Social Sciences
Juveniles
Larva
Larvae
Life history
Migration
Migratory species
multidisciplinary
Population Dynamics
Science
Seasons
Spawning
Species
Statistical analysis
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Summary:We mapped the inferred long-distance migrations of four species of Amazonian goliath catfishes ( Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii, B. platynemum, B. juruense and B. vaillantii ) based on the presence of individuals with mature gonads and conducted statistical analysis of the expected long-distance downstream migrations of their larvae and juveniles. By linking the distribution of larval, juvenile and mature adult size classes across the Amazon, the results showed: (i) that the main spawning regions of these goliath catfish species are in the western Amazon; (ii) at least three species— B. rousseauxii, B. platynemum, and B. juruense —spawn partially or mainly as far upstream as the Andes; (iii) the main spawning area of B. rousseauxii is in or near the Andes; and (iv) the life history migration distances of B. rousseauxii are the longest strictly freshwater fish migrations in the world. These results provide an empirical baseline for tagging experiments, life histories extrapolated from otolith microchemistry interpretations and other methods to establish goliath catfish migratory routes, their seasonal timing and possible return (homing) to western headwater tributaries where they were born.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep41784