Species composition and abundance patterns of fish assemblages at shallow waters of Patos Lagoon estuary

Study Extent

Shallow waters fish assemblages have been continuously sampled since 1996 at eight sites.

Sampling

Fishes are preserved in 10% formalin and later identified in laboratory, where they are counted and measured for total length (TL) to the nearest mm.

Quality Control

Researchers and fishing gears are the same since the beginning of the time series. Fish sampling in one of the sampling stations (MARAMBAIA) had to be discontinued due to physical changes in the site that prevent beach seining.

Method steps

1. Fish are sampled using a 9 m beach seine (13 mm bar mesh in the wings and 0.5 mm mesh in the 3 m center section) that are pulled to cover an area of about 60 m2 during each haul. Five hauls are made monthly (usually in the first week of each month) at each sampling station since August 1996. Concomitant with fish sampling, water temperature, water transparency (Sechi disk) and salinity are recorded at each site.

Several species are collected along the year on shallow zones (< 2.0 m) with the methodology presented.

1. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
2. Chordata
   rank: phylum
3. Actinopterygii
   rank: class
4. Albuliformes
   rank: order
5. Anguilliformes
   rank: order
6. Atheriniformes
   rank: order
7. Batrachoidiformes
   rank: order
8. Beloniformes
   rank: order
9. Characiformes
   rank: order
10. Clupeiformes
    rank: order
11. Cyprinodontiformes
    rank: order
12. Elopiformes
    rank: order
13. Gobiesociformes
    rank: order
14. Perciformes
    rank: order
15. Pleuronectiformes
    rank: order
16. Scorpaeniformes
    rank: order
17. Siluriformes
    rank: order
18. Syngnathiformes
    rank: order
19. Tetraodontiformes
    rank: order
20. Abudefduf
    rank: genus
21. Albula
    rank: genus
22. Anchoa
    rank: genus
23. Astyanax
    rank: genus
24. Atherinella
    rank: genus
25. Bathygobius
    rank: genus
26. Brevoortia
    rank: genus
27. Bryconamericus
    rank: genus
28. Caranx
    rank: genus
29. Catathyridium
    rank: genus
30. Charax
    rank: genus
31. Cheirodon
    rank: genus
32. Chloroscombrus
    rank: genus
33. Cichlasoma
    rank: genus
34. Citharichthys
    rank: genus
35. Cnesterodon
    rank: genus
36. Corydoras
    rank: genus
37. Crenicichla
    rank: genus
38. Ctenogobius
    rank: genus
39. Cyanocharax
    rank: genus
40. Cynoscion
    rank: genus
41. Cyphocharax
    rank: genus
42. Diapterus
    rank: genus
43. Elops
    rank: genus
44. Engraulis
    rank: genus
45. Epinephelus
    rank: genus
46. Eucinostomus
    rank: genus
47. Genidens
    rank: genus
48. Geophagus
    rank: genus
49. Gobiesox
    rank: genus
50. Gobionellus
    rank: genus
51. Gymnogeophagus
    rank: genus
52. Harengula
    rank: genus
53. Hemiramphus
    rank: genus
54. Hippocampus
    rank: genus
55. Hoplias
    rank: genus
56. Hyphessobrycon
    rank: genus
57. Hyporhamphus
    rank: genus
58. Jenynsia
    rank: genus
59. Lagocephalus
    rank: genus
60. Loricariichthys
    rank: genus
61. Lycengraulis
    rank: genus
62. Macrodon
    rank: genus
63. Macropsobrycon
    rank: genus
64. Menticirrhus
    rank: genus
65. Micropogonias
    rank: genus
66. Mugil
    rank: genus
67. Odontesthes
    rank: genus
68. Oligoplites
    rank: genus
69. Oligosarcus
    rank: genus
70. Oncopterus
    rank: genus
71. Ophichthus
    rank: genus
72. Opisthonema
    rank: genus
73. Orthopristis
    rank: genus
74. Paralichthys
    rank: genus
75. Paralonchurus
    rank: genus
76. Parapimelodus
    rank: genus
77. Percophis
    rank: genus
78. Phalloceros
    rank: genus
79. Phalloptychus
    rank: genus
80. Phalloptychus
    rank: genus
81. Pimelodella
    rank: genus
82. Pimelodus
    rank: genus
83. Platanichthys
    rank: genus
84. Poecilia
    rank: genus
85. Pogonias
    rank: genus
86. Pomadasys
    rank: genus
87. Pomatomus
    rank: genus
88. Porichthys
    rank: genus
89. Prionotus
    rank: genus
90. Ramnogaster
    rank: genus
91. Rhamdia
    rank: genus
92. Sardinella
    rank: genus
93. Selene
    rank: genus
94. Stellifer
    rank: genus
95. Stephanolepis
    rank: genus
96. Symphurus
    rank: genus
97. Syngnathus
    rank: genus
98. Trachinotus
    rank: genus
99. Trichiurus
    rank: genus
100. Ulaema
     rank: genus
101. Umbrina
     rank: genus
102. Abudefduf saxatilis
     rank: species
103. Albula vulpes
     rank: species
104. Amoya gracilis
     rank: species
105. Anchoa marinii
     rank: species
106. Astyanax dissensus
     rank: species
107. Astyanax eigenmanniorum
     rank: species
108. Astyanax fasciatus
     rank: species
109. Astyanax henseli
     rank: species
110. Astyanax lacustris
     rank: species
111. Atherinella brasiliensis
     rank: species
112. Bathygobius soporator
     rank: species
113. Brevoortia pectinata
     rank: species
114. Bryconamericus iheringii
     rank: species
115. Caranx hippos
     rank: species
116. Caranx latus
     rank: species
117. Catathyridium garmani
     rank: species
118. Charax stenopterus
     rank: species
119. Cheirodon ibicuhiensis
     rank: species
120. Cheirodon interruptus
     rank: species
121. Chloroscombrus chrysurus
     rank: species
122. Cichlasoma portalegrense
     rank: species
123. Citharichthys spilopterus
     rank: species
124. Cnesterodon decemmaculatus
     rank: species
125. Corydoras paleatus
     rank: species
126. Crenicichla lepidota
     rank: species
127. Ctenogobius shufeldti
     rank: species
128. Cyanocharax  alburnus
     rank: species
129. Cynoscion leiarchus
     rank: species
130. Cynoscion striatus
     rank: species
131. Cyphocharax saladensis
     rank: species
132. Cyphocharax voga
     rank: species
133. Diapterus rhombeus
     rank: species
134. Elops saurus
     rank: species
135. Engraulis anchoita
     rank: species
136. Epinephelus
     rank: species
137. Eucinostomus argenteus
     rank: species
138. Eucinostomus gula
     rank: species
139. Eucinostomus melanopterus
     rank: species
140. Genidens barbus
     rank: species
141. Genidens genidens
     rank: species
142. Genidens planifrons
     rank: species
143. Geophagus brasiliensis
     rank: species
144. Gobiesox strumosus
     rank: species
145. Gobionellus oceanicus
     rank: species
146. Gymnogeophagus gymnogenys
     rank: species
147. Harengula clupeola
     rank: species
148. Hemiramphus brasiliensis
     rank: species
149. Hippocampus patagonicus
     rank: species
150. Hoplias malabaricus
     rank: species
151. Hyphessobrycon anisitsi
     rank: species
152. Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus
     rank: species
153. Hyphessobrycon boulengeri
     rank: species
154. Hyphessobrycon igneus
     rank: species
155. Hyphessobrycon luetkenii
     rank: species
156. Hyphessobrycon meridionalis
     rank: species
157. Hyphessobrycon reticulatus
     rank: species
158. Hyphessobrycon togoi
     rank: species
159. Hyporhamphus unifasciatus
     rank: species
160. Jenynsia multidentata
     rank: species
161. Lagocephalus laevigatus
     rank: species
162. Loricariichthys anus
     rank: species
163. Lycengraulis grossidens
     rank: species
164. Macrodon ancylodon
     rank: species
165. Macrodon atricauda
     rank: species
166. Macropsobrycon uruguayanae
     rank: species
167. Menticirrhus americanus
     rank: species
168. Menticirrhus littoralis
     rank: species
169. Micropogonias furnieri
     rank: species
170. Mugil brevirostris
     rank: species
171. Mugil curema
     rank: species
172. Mugil liza
     rank: species
173. Odontesthes argentinensis
     rank: species
174. Odontesthes bonariensis
     rank: species
175. Odontesthes perugiae
     rank: species
176. Oligoplites saliens
     rank: species
177. Oligoplites saurus
     rank: species
178. Oligosarcus jenynsii
     rank: species
179. Oligosarcus robustus
     rank: species
180. Oncopterus darwinii
     rank: species
181. Ophichthus gomesii
     rank: species
182. Opisthonema oglinum
     rank: species
183. Orthopristis ruber
     rank: species
184. Paralichthys orbignyanus
     rank: species
185. Paralonchurus brasiliensis
     rank: species
186. Parapimelodus nigribarbis
     rank: species
187. Percophis brasiliensis
     rank: species
188. Phalloceros caudimaculatus
     rank: species
189. Phalloptychus eigenmanni
     rank: species
190. Phalloptychus januarius
     rank: species
191. Pimelodella australis
     rank: species
192. Pimelodus maculatus
     rank: species
193. Platanichthys platana
     rank: species
194. Poecilia vivipara
     rank: species
195. Pogonias courbina
     rank: species
196. Pomadasys corvinaeformis
     rank: species
197. Pomatomus saltatrix
     rank: species
198. Porichthys porosissimus
     rank: species
199. Prionotus punctatus
     rank: species
200. Ramnogaster arcuata
     rank: species
201. Rhamdia quelen
     rank: species
202. Sardinella brasiliensis
     rank: species
203. Selene setapinnis
     rank: species
204. Selene vomer
     rank: species
205. Stellifer brasiliensis
     rank: species
206. Stellifer rastrifer
     rank: species
207. Stellifer stellifer
     rank: species
208. Stephanolepis hispidus
     rank: species
209. Stephanolepis setifer
     rank: species
210. Symphurus jenynsi
     rank: species
211. Syngnathus folletti
     rank: species
212. Trachinotus carolinus
     rank: species
213. Trachinotus falcatus
     rank: species
214. Trachinotus goodei
     rank: species
215. Trachinotus marginatus
     rank: species
216. Trichiurus lepturus
     rank: species
217. Ulaema lefroyi
     rank: species
218. Umbrina canosai
     rank: species
219. Achiridae
     rank: family
220. Albulidae
     rank: family
221. Anablepidae
     rank: family
222. Ariidae
     rank: family
223. Atherinidae
     rank: family
224. Atherinopsidae
     rank: family
225. Batrachoididae
     rank: family
226. Callichthyidae
     rank: family
227. Carangidae
     rank: family
228. Characidae
     rank: family
229. Cichlidae
     rank: family
230. Clupeidae
     rank: family
231. Curimatidae
     rank: family
232. Cynoglossidae
     rank: family
233. Elopidae
     rank: family
234. Engraulidae
     rank: family
235. Erythrinidae
     rank: family
236. Gerreidae
     rank: family
237. Gobiesocidae
     rank: family
238. Gobiidae
     rank: family
239. Haemulidae
     rank: family
240. Hemiramphidae
     rank: family
241. Heptapteridae
     rank: family
242. Loricariidae
     rank: family
243. Monacanthidae
     rank: family
244. Mugilidae
     rank: family
245. Ophichthidae
     rank: family
246. Paralichthyidae
     rank: family
247. Percophidae
     rank: family
248. Pimelodidae
     rank: family
249. Pleuronectidae
     rank: family
250. Poeciliidae
     rank: family
251. Pomacentridae
     rank: family
252. Pomatomidae
     rank: family
253. Sciaenidae
     rank: family
254. Serranidae
     rank: family
255. Syngnathidae
     rank: family
256. Tetraodontidae
     rank: family
257. Trichiuridae
     rank: family
258. Triglidae
     rank: family

The Patos Lagoon at the southern Brazilian coastal plain (Rio Grande do Sul state) is the largest (10,360 km2) choked lagoon in the world. With a NE SW direction the lagoon extends from the city of Porto Alegre (30º30’ S) to Rio Grande (32º12’ S). In the southern estuarine region, approx. 10% of total area, a single and narrow inlet connects this lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean. The major tributary rivers at the northern and central areas of Patos Lagoon, and the São Gonçalo channel at the southern area, are significant freshwater sources from an extensive drainage basin. The hydrodynamics of Patos Lagoon estuary are strongly controlled by the discharge of tributary rivers and the action of predominant winds.