PELD-ELPA | 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. Sampling interrupted between March 2020 and September 2021 (COVID-19 pandemic).

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

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.