Indicadores morfológicos y reproductivos del pez Gambusia puncticulata (Poeciliidae) en sitios muy contaminados del río Almendares, Cuba

Abstract

The Almendares River watershed covers a large portion of Havana city. Human activities have negative impacts over it. We studied the alteration of biological processes in fish from polluted sites. Stressor-based cumulative effects assessment was applied at individual level in Gambusia puncticulata (Poey, 1854). Three sites of Almendares River were sampled monthly from July 2006 to June 2007. Length and weight of females, and condition factor for both sexes, were higher in the impacted sites. An increase of food supply due to eutrophication can explain why fishes are heavier and longer at polluted sites. Gonadosomatic, specific fecundity index and embryo numbers were significantly higher on the reference site. The Hepatosomatic index was higher in females from the most contaminated sites. Differences in δ13C and δ15N among contaminated and reference sites suggest that the food source is not the same.