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The Fauna.-Composition: The order Characiformes is the most diverse group of fishes in western Ecuador with 39 of the 79 primary freshwater species occurring in 7 families and 21 genera. The family Characidae is the most diverse family and contains 23 species in 12 genera, the family Parodontidae contains 5 species in 4 genera, the family Curimatidae contains 5 species in 1 genus, the family Erythrinidae contains 2 species in 1 genus, and the families Gasteropelecidae, Prochilodontidae, and Anostomidae all contain 1 species in 1 genus. The order is also quite diverse ecologically and members range from small "minnow" type fish, to herbivores and detritivores, to large fish predators. The order Siluriformes if the second most diverse group with 24 species occurring in 13 genera and 5 families. The family Loricariidae is the most diverse family in this order and contains 15 species in 8 genera, the family trichomycteridae contains 3 species in 2 genera, the family Astroblepidae contains 4 species in 1 genus, and the families Pimelodidae and Cetopsidae both contain 1 species in 1 genus. Other primary freshwater fish groups include the family Cichlidae with the genera Aequidens and Cichlasoma containing 3 and 2 species respectively, the order Synbranchiformes and the order Atheriniformes. There are also 5 species of eleotrids occurring in 4 genera. The secondary freshwater fish fauna is quite diverse and includes sciaenids, centropomids, gobiids, pleuronectiformes, gerreids, tetraodontids, clupeids, engraulids, etc. (Barriga, 1991). In all, there are approximately 50 species that come from families that are primarily marine or estuarine but occur frequently in freshwaters of western Ecuador. There are also a fair number of non-indigenous species, especially salmonids (at upper elevations) and tilapia, that are well established. Even a western Atlantic sciaenid, Sciaenops ocellatus (introduced for fish farming in the late 80's-90's) was reported several years ago (Bearez, pers. comm.) although its present status is unknown. Back to main page Last Updated June 6, 2008 |
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