Fish fauna of the Pandeiros River, a region of environmental protection for fish species in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Abstract

The Area of Environmental Protection of the Pandeiros River is the largest unit for sustainable use in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The Pandeiros Wetland in the lower part of this river is considered a nursery for most migratory fish species of the São Francisco River and it is currently threatened by the introduced peacock-bass Cichla piquiti (Kullander & Ferreira, 2006). In this study, a list of fish species from the Pandeiros River was developed and compared with data for populations from other regions in the São Francisco basin. The presence of a new species record for the São Francisco River basin in the Pandeiros, and the particular local biotic and abiotic conditions of that river, support its recognition as an important conservation unit within the basin.