What is it about?
The text talks about the sturgeon fish called Acipenser gueldenstaedtii. This species is found in the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, as well as in some rivers and regions in Europe, the Middle East, and the Eastern Atlantic. However, it has been accidentally introduced into the Rio Negro in Uruguay, which is a tributary of the Rio de la Plata. Recently, it has been confirmed that this species is also present in the Paraná River basin, the second largest river in the Neotropics. Additionally, this record marks the first time it has been found in Brazil. The text also discusses the possibility of this species dispersing from marine environments to other rivers in South America, through the analysis of its documented presence and the marine ecoregions in the southwestern Atlantic.
Featured Image
Photo by Jaime Dantas on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The publication of records of introduced species can help us anticipate the potential impacts these species may have on local species. Here we present the first record of a sturgeon in Brazil. Its expansion is still unknown, and further studies are needed to determine if this species has adapted to these environments or if the individuals are coming from escapes from fish farms.
Perspectives
I hope this article can help with the identification of this species by local fishermen, as well as encourage them to report their findings to aid in understanding how the process of dispersion is advancing in marine and continental environments in South America.
Dr. Junior Chuctaya
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: On the spread of the Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii
(Acipenseriformes: Acipenseridae) in the Neotropics: A marine path to invade freshwater drainages in South America?, Journal of Applied Ichthyology, October 2018, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/jai.13826.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
