| Grant number: | 08/05678-7 |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |
| Start date: | November 01, 2008 |
| End date: | April 30, 2011 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Zoology - Ecosystems Ecology |
| Principal Investigator: | Maria Elina Bichuette |
| Grantee: | Maria Elina Bichuette |
| Host Institution: | Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil |
Abstract
The subterranean characteristics, particularly the permanent absence of light and, consequently, photoperiods and tendency to food shortages, are the main barriers faced by the organisms to colonization of this environment. So far, there are records of around 100 species of fish in the underground world. From this, 24 occurr in Brazil, mostly catfish and the armored catfishes of Siluriformes group, mainly of families Heptapteridae Bockmann & Guazelli, 2003 and Trichomycteridae Gill, 1872. For Trichomycterdae, two species from subfamily Copionodontinae Pinna, 1992, were recently discovered in sandstone/quartzite caves of the Chapada Diamantina (central Bahia), belonging to the genera Glaphyropoma and Copionodon. This is the first record of the subfamily for the subterranean environment. These species have morphological modifications related to the isolation in the underground environment, such as regression of the eyes and melanic pigmentation. The project presented herein seeks to study in detail the distribution, population ecology, biology and aspects of the behaviour of these catfish, compared with that epigean species of the same genera, in order to detect patterns in understanding the phenomena and processes involved in the origin of the Brazilian subterranean fish fauna. Thus, the specific objectives of this work, which should be completed in two years, are: - to establish the limits of distribution of cave catfish Copionodontinae from Chapada Diamantina, Bahia central, with the description of Copionodon sp.; - to make studies of marking and recapture to investigate the population ecology of subterranean Glaphyropoma species, and obtain data from biology (diet and reproduction); - to study in detail the behavior of these catfish in both, natural environment (ad libitum observations and animal-focal) as in laboratory, through controlled experiments (spontaneous behavior, agonistic behvaiour, reaction to light and response to mechanical stimuli), comparing it with that seen for the epigean relative species (Glaphyropoma rodriguesi Pinna, 1992 and Copionodon pecten Pinna, 1992 - both occurring in streams of the Chapada Diamantina , Bahia central). (AU)
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