Exceptional concentration of fish diversity in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador (Napo River Basin)

Daniel Escobar-Camacho; Jonathan Valdiviezo-Rivera; Carolina Carrillo-Moreno; Pablo Argüello; Kelly Swing

doi:10.3897/BDJ.13.e136476

Biodiversity Data Journal : Taxonomy & Inventories

PDF

Taxonomy & Inventories

Exceptional concentration of fish diversity in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador (Napo River Basin)

Daniel Escobar-Camacho^‡, Jonathan Valdiviezo-Rivera^§, Carolina Carrillo-Moreno^§,|, Pablo Argüello^¶, Kelly Swing^#

‡ Instituto Biósfera, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador

§ Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito, Ecuador

| The Nature Conservancy, Puyo, Ecuador

¶ Departamento de Biología, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador

# Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador

Corresponding author: Daniel Escobar-Camacho (descobar@usfq.edu.ec)

Academic editor: Felipe Ottoni

Received: 05 Sep 2024 | Accepted: 24 Feb 2025 | Published: 13 Mar 2025

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Citation: Escobar-Camacho D, Valdiviezo-Rivera J, Carrillo-Moreno C, Argüello P, Swing K (2025) Exceptional concentration of fish diversity in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador (Napo River Basin). Biodiversity Data Journal 13: e136476. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.13.e136476

Abstract

Background

Despite limited access and rather deficient sampling in many lowland areas of eastern Ecuador, scientists have been able to demonstrate that this specific region of Amazonia houses extraordinarily high concentrations of species within several taxa – terrestrial and aquatic, plant and animal, vertebrate and invertebrate.

New information

In this work, we developed an updated list of the ichthyofauna of the Yasuní National Park (YNP), based on an extensive literature review and databases of the most representative ichthyological collections from Ecuador. Our results yielded 458 species of freshwater fishes distributed in 47 families and 13 orders. This number exceeded previous fish lists from YNP and accounts for a considerable proportion of species inhabiting the Napo River Basin as well as the entire Amazon River Basin.

The higher-than-previously-reported species diversity within this protected area, the services these species provide to humans and the absence of invasive species underscore the need for greater efforts and investment in protecting and managing western Amazonian lands and waters.

Keywords

aquatic ecosystems, megadiversity, protected areas, teleosts, western Amazon

Introduction

Galacatos et al. 1996, Galacatos et al. 2004, Escobar-Camacho et al. 2015The Amazon River Basin is widely recognised as a region of extraordinary biological diversity, though popular discussions often focus primarily on its expansive lowlands. Within greater Amazonia, there are areas of exceptionally high species concentrations (from trees to insects and vertebrates) along a rather narrow crescent that extends from eastern Colombia in the north, through eastern Ecuador and eastern Peru and southwards to north-eastern Bolivia (Mittermeier et al. 2011, Kass et al. 2022, Sabatini 2022). The terrain along this strip of the western Amazon Basin exhibits striking topographic variation, with elevations ranging from over 6000 m at the Andean continental divide to less than 200 m within a few hundred kilometres (Sayre et al. 2008). This steep elevational gradient, combined with the equatorial position of Ecuador, has fostered the evolution and maintenance of hyper-diverse biota (Thomassen et al. 2011). The rapid shifting orographic feature of the young Andes has also driven biological diversification over the past few million years (Galvis et al. 2006, Wilkinson et al. 2010). Approximately half of the territory of Ecuador lies within the Amazonian biome, where protected areas, including Yasuní National Park (YNP), created in 1979, safeguard biodiversity and indigenous communities. YNP spans 1,029,566.32 hectares, with elevations ranging from 190 to 400 m a.s.l. (MAATE 2023).

The unique location of YNP, where Andean rivers flow west to east, forms key tributaries of the upper Amazon. To the north, it is bounded by the Napo River and to the south by the Curaray River (Fig. 1), with a network of rivers (Tivacuno, Tiputini, Yasuní, Nashiño, Cononaco and Tigüino) of white and black waters (Galacatos et al. 2004, Galacatos et al. 1996, Escobar-Camacho et al. 2015). The YNP borders Peru to the east and the Waorani Ethnic Reserve to the west (Pappalardo et al. 2013). The Park´s transition from Andean piedmont to lowland floodplains support unique ecosystems, including Evergreen Lowland Forests, Várzea Forests of the Amazonian and Andean alluvial plains, Flooded Palm Forests and Lacustrine-Riparian Grasslands (MAATE 2023, Figs 1, 2). The YNP is home to three indigenous nationalities — Shuar, Kichwa and Waorani — and contains ancestral Waorani territory where two tribes live in voluntary isolation (Pappalardo et al. 2013, Trujillo Montalvo 2018). Critically, YNP boasts high biodiversity, particularly amongst freshwater fishes, which are one of the Park´s most diverse vertebrate groups (Bass et al. 2010).

Figure 1.

Map of Yasuní National Park showing its location (A) and ecosystems (B).

Figure 2.

Different water types and ecosystems within YNP. A White waters of the Tiputini River (Evergreen Lowland Forest of the Napo-Curaray); B Black waters of Lake Añangu (Evergreen Lowland Forest of the Aguarico-Putumayo-Caquetá); C Clear water stream (Tiputini River Basin); D Flooded forest in the rainy season (Tiputini River Basin); E Marsh (Flooded Grassland of the Amazon fluvial plains); F Temporary lake of the Flooded Palm Forests, Amazon alluvial plains. Photos: courtesy of Esteban Suárez (A and D) and Kelly Swing (B, C, E and F).

Fish diversity studies in YNP began in the 1980s with ichthyological explorations of the Napo River Basin, led by the Field Museum of Chicago and Escuela Politécnica Nacional del Ecuador (Stewart et al. 1987, Ibarra and Stewart 1989). Over two decades, research documented 550 freshwater fish species in the Napo River Basin (Barriga 1994, Galacatos et al. 1996, Galacatos et al. 2004), including 253 species within YNP (Barriga 1994). Despite this progress, gaps remain in understanding the full extent of fish diversity, especially given ongoing taxonomic revisions (Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. 2020) and recent discoveries (Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. 2021, Chuctaya et al. 2023) in the region.

This study addresses these gaps by compiling an updated list of fish species occurring in YNP, informed by recent explorations, case studies and data from the two major ichthyological collections of Ecuador. By documenting the freshwater fish diversity of YNP, this work contributes to addressing the global freshwater biodiversity crisis (Reid et al. 2019, Tickner et al. 2020) by providing critical baseline data to provide information for conservation strategies and stakeholders.

Materials and methods

To compile a list of fish species in YNP, an updated database was developed using previous datasets from the Napo Basin of Ecuador and Peru (Barriga 2012, Sanchez et al. 2013, Jézéquel et al. 2020). This database was curated, based on records within YNP boundaries and validated using the ichthyological collections of Ecuadorian museums: Museo de Historia Natural Gustavo Orcés – Escuela Politécnica Nacional (MEPN) and Colección Ictiológica del Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito, Ecuador (MECN-DP). These records reflect decades of Amazonian expeditions and curatorial efforts. In addition, digital databases from the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH) and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (USNM), were verified for species absent in MEPN or MECN-DP. As it is possible that fish species registered outside YNP boundaries occur within the Reserve, for this study, we included records from a 15 km range beyond YNP limits. We did not include records from other protected areas nearby or more geographically distant sites despite any ecological similarities. Finally, species classification and ordering were also updated to current taxonomic revisions of each group according to Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes – California Academy of Sciences.

Data resources

Data underpinning this list have been gathered from records from three museum databases and literature. The museum data underpinning the reported list in this study are distributed across three sources: 1) the Darwin Core archive for MECN-DP can be accessed at https://bndb.sisbioecuador.bio/bndb/checklists/checklist.php?clid=15292&emode=0, 2) data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) for MEPN are available at https://doi.org/10.60545/fl2c7w and 3) data of the fishes of Ecuador at the FMNH and USNM collection pages are available at https://collections-zoology.fieldmuseum.org/page/collections-data-fishes and https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/fishes/, respectively. The assembled data are available as a single file in the Dryad Data Repository (Escobar-Camacho 2024). This file includes voucher numbers for all species in the 'catalogNumber' column and the names of the museum collections in the 'collectionCode' column. In the checklist below, citations in 'Notes' indicate the literature reporting each species in the YNP area.

Fish Species Checklist of Yasuni National Park

Order Myliobatiformes

Family Potamotrygonidae

Plesiotrygon iwamae Rosa, Castello & Thorson 1987

Distribution:

Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Potamotrygon motoro (Müller & Henle 1841)

Distribution:

tropical S.A., east of Andes.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Potamotrygon scobina Garman 1913

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Order Osteoglossiformes

Family Osteoglossidae

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Cuvier 1829)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Family Arapaimidae

Arapaima cf. gigas

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), WCS (2007), Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Order Clupeiformes

Family Engraulidae

Anchoviella alleni (Myers 1940)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Anchoviella sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Limoncocha Lagoon.

Lycengraulis batesii (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Family Pristigasteridae

Ilisha amazonica (Miranda Ribeiro 1920)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Pellona castelnaeana Valenciennes 1847

Distribution:

Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Pristigaster cayana Cuvier 1829

Distribution:

Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Pristigaster whiteheadi Menezes & de Pinna 2000

Distribution:

Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Order Characiformes

Family Crenuchidae

Characidium boehlkei Géry 1972

Distribution:

Napo River Basin, Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Characidium etheostoma Cope 1872

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Characidium geryi (Zarske 1997)

Distribution:

Peru, Ecuador.

Characidium purpuratum Steindachner 1882

Distribution:

Tributaries of the upper Amazon in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

Characidium steindachneri Cope 1878

Distribution:

Amazonia, Guyanas.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Characidium sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Napo River, Yasuní River.

Notes:

Stewart et al. 2002, Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Elachocharax pulcher Myers 1927

Distribution:

Amazonia, upper Orinoco.

Melanocharacidium rex (Böhlke 1958)

Distribution:

South-eastern Ecuador.

Microcharacidium eleotrioides (Géry 1960)

Distribution:

Coastal streams (French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia).

Odontocharacidium aphanes (Weitzman & Kanazawa 1977)

Distribution:

Mostly western central Amazonia.

Family Erythrinidae

Erythrinus erythrinus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch 1794)

Distribution:

Widespread Neotropical.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), WCS (2007), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018), Tobes et al. (2022).

Family Parodontidae

Parodon buckleyi Boulenger 1887

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Tobes et al. (2022).

Parodon pongoensis (Allen 1942)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Family Cynodontidae

Cynodon gibbus (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hydrolycus scomberoides (Cuvier 1819)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Rhaphiodon vulpinus Spix & Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

All Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Family Serrasalmidae

Colossoma macropomum (Cuvier 1816)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994) Galacatos et al. (2004), WCS (2007), Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Myleus pacu (Jardine 1841)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Ibarra and Stewart 1989, Galacatos et al. 1996.

Mylossoma albiscopum (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2020).

Mylossoma aureum (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

All Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2020).

Pygocentrus nattereri Kner 1858

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete 2013, Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Serrasalmus elongatus Kner 1858

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Serrasalmus rhombeus (Linnaeus 1766)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018)Jácome-Negrete et al. 2018.

Family Hemiodontidae

Anodus elongatus Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Hemiodus microlepis Kner 1858

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Hemiodus unimaculatus (Bloch 1794)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Family Anostomidae

Abramites hypselonotus (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Laemolyta garmani (Borodin 1931)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Leporellus vittatus (Valenciennes 1850)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Leporinus agassizii Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Leporinus cf. fasciatus

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Leporinus friderici (Bloch 1794)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Leporinus sp. 1

Distribution:

Manduro and Samona Rivers, right bank of the Napo River, one hour downstream from Francisco de Orellana.

Leporinus jatuncochi Ovchynnyk 1971

Distribution:

Napo Basin, Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Leporinus niceforoi Fowler 1943

Distribution:

Amazonian Colombia, Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Leporinus pearsoni Fowler 1940

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Leporinus cf. striatus

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Leporinus subniger Fowler 1943

Distribution:

Amazonian Colombia, Ecuador.

Megaleporinus cf. trifasciatus

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Pseudanos trimaculatus (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Schizodon fasciatus Spix & Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Family Chilodontidae

Caenotropus labyrinthicus (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Chilodus punctatus Müller & Troschel 1844

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Family Curimatidae

Curimata aspera Günther 1868

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Curimata cisandina (Allen 1942)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Curimata knerii Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Middle, upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Curimata roseni Vari 1989

Distribution:

Amazonia, upper Orinoco.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Curimata vittata (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Amazonia, upper Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Curimatella alburnus (Müller & Troschel 1844)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Curimatella meyeri (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Middle, upper Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004)

Curimatopsis macrolepis (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Curimatopsis microlepis Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Cyphocharax gouldingi Vari 1992

Distribution:

Brazil, eastern Ecuador.

Cyphocharax laticlavius Vari & Blackledge 1996

Distribution:

Napo, Ecuador.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Cyphocharax notatus (Steindachner 1908)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Cyphocharax pantostictos Vari & Barriga Salazar 1990

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Cyphocharax plumbeus (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Cyphocharax spiluropsis (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889)

Distribution:

Central, western Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Cyphocharax vexillapinnus Vari 1992

Distribution:

Central, western Amazonia.

Potamorhina altamazonica (Cope 1878)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Potamorhina latior (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Psectrogaster amazonica Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Psectrogaster rutiloides (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Steindachnerina bimaculata (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Steindachnerina dobula (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Tobes et al. (2022).

Steindachnerina guentheri (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, northern drainages.

Steindachnerina leuciscus (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Steindachnerina planiventris Vari & Williams Vari 1989

Distribution:

Central, western Amazonia.

Family Prochilodontidae

Prochilodus nigricans Spix & Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), WCS (2007), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Semaprochilodus insignis (Jardine 1841)

Distribution:

Central, western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Family Lebiasinidae

Copeina guttata (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Central, western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Lebiasina elongata (Boulenger 1887)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador and Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Nannostomus eques Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Middle, upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Nannostomus marginatus Eigenmann 1909

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Pyrrhulina brevis Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Pyrrhulina eleanorae Fowler 1940

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Pyrrhulina obermulleri Myers 1926

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Pyrrhulina semifasciata Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pyrrhulina zigzag Zarske & Géry 1997

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Family Ctenoluciidae

Boulengerella cuvieri (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Boulengerella maculata (Valenciennes 1850)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Family Triportheidae

Engraulisoma taeniatum Castro 1981

Distribution:

Napo Basin, upper Paraguay.

Triportheus albus Cope 1872

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Triportheus angulatus (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Triportheus auritus (Valenciennes 1850)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Triportheus pictus (Garman 1890)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Family Gasteropelecidae

Carnegiella myersi Fernández-Yépez 1950

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Carnegiella schereri Fernández-Yépez 1950

Distribution:

Brazil, western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Carnegiella strigata (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Gasteropelecus sternicla (Linnaeus 1758)

Distribution:

Upper/middle Amazonia, Guianas, Paraguay Basin.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Thoracocharax securis (De Filippi 1853)

Distribution:

Upper/middle Amazonia, Guianas, Paraguay Basin.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Thoracocharax stellatus (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná,

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Family Bryconidae

Brycon coxeyi Fowler 1943

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Brycon melanopterus (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), WCS (2007).

Brycon pesu Müller & Troschel 1845

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Salminus hilarii Valenciennes 1850

Distribution:

Western and south-eastern Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004)

Family Iguanodectidae

Bryconops alburnoides Kner 1858

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Bryconops caudomaculatus (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Iguanodectes spilurus (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Piabucus melanostoma Holmberg 1891

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia, Paraguay Basin.

Family Acestrorhynchidae

Acestrorhynchus abbreviatus (Cope 1878)

Distribution:

Western and south-western Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Acestrorhynchus falcatus (Bloch 1794)

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Acestrorhynchus falcirostris (Cuvier 1819)

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Acestrorhynchus microlepis (Jardine 1841)

Distribution:

Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Gnathocharax steindachneri Fowler 1913

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Family Stevardiidae

Boehlkea orcesi (Böhlke 1958)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Bryconacidnus ellisae (Pearson 1924)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Bryconacidnus paipayensis (Pearson 1929)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Chrysobrycon hesperus (Böhlke 1958)

Distribution:

Napo River Basin.

Notes:

Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Creagrutus amoenus Fowler 1943

Distribution:

Wastern Ecuador, south-eastern Colombia.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Creagrutus barrigai Vari & Harold 2001

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Creagrutus cochui Géry 1964

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Creagrutus flavescens Vari & Harold 2001

Distribution:

Andean piedmont, western Amazonia.

Creagrutus gephyrus Böhlke & Saul 1975

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Creagrutus gracilis Vari & Harold 2001

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Creagrutus sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Sunka stream, tributary of Tiputini River.

Notes:

Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Creagrutus sp. 2

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, unnamed stream tributary of Divaro River.

Gephyrocharax major Myers 1929

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia.

Knodus breviceps (Eigenmann 1908)

Distribution:

Eastern Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Knodus cf. caquetae

Distribution:

Amazon, Caquetá.

Knodus delta Géry 1972

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Knodus gamma Géry 1972

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Knodus megalops Myers 1929

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Tyttocharax cf. cochui

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Tyttocharax madeirae Fowler 1913

Distribution:

Amazon tributaries.

Xenurobrycon heterodon Weitzman & Fink 1985

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Family Characidae

Acestrocephalus boehlkei Menezes 1977

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Acestrocephalus sardina (Fowler 1913)

Distribution:

Western Amazon, Orinoco.

Aphyocharax pusillus Günther 1868

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Charax caudimaculatus Lucena 1987

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Charax cf. michaeli

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia.

Charax tectifer (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Cynopotamus amazonum (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Galeocharax gulo (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Heterocharax macrolepis Eigenmann 1912

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Leptagoniates steindachneri Boulenger 1887

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Odontostilbe ecuadorensis Bührnheim & Malabarba 2006

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Napo River Basin in Peru.

Odontostilbe fugitiva Cope 1870

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Odontostilbe roloffi Géry 1972

Distribution:

Napo Basin in Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Paragoniates alburnus Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Middle and upper Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Phenacogaster pectinata (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Middle and upper Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Prionobrama filigera (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Roeboides dispar Lucena 2001

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia.

Roeboides myersii Gill 1870

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Tetragonopterus argenteus Cuvier 1816

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Tetragonopterus chalceus Spix & Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Family Acestrorhamphidae

Astyanax abramis (Jenyns 1842)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Astyanax bimaculatus (Linnaeus 1758)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Astyanax bourgeti Eigenmann 1908

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Astyanax maximus (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Astyanax sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, unnamed river tributary of the Dicaro and Yasuní Rivers.

Bario steindachneri (Eigenmann 1893)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Bario oligolepis (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Tobes et al. (2022).

Brachychalcinus nummus Böhlke 1958

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Bryconella pallidifrons (Fowler 1946)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Ctenobrycon hauxwellianus (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Gymnocorymbus thayeri Eigenmann 1908

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Hemigrammus bellottii (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Hemigrammus collettii (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Hemigrammus coeruleus Durbin 1908

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Hemigrammus cupreus Durbin 1918

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hemigrammus hyanuary Durbin 1918

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Hemigrammus levis Durbin 1908

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Hemigrammus luelingi (Géry 1964)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hemigrammus lunatus Durbin 1918

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hemigrammus cf. marginatus

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (2012).

Hemigrammus megaceps Fowler 1945

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru.

Hemigrammus pretoensis Géry 1965

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (2012).

Hemigrammus unilineatus (Gill 1858)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2021).

Holopristis ocellifera (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Holopristis pulchra (Ladiges 1938)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (2012).

Hyphessobrycon agulha Fowler 1913

Distribution:

Western, south-western Amazonia.

Hyphessobrycon gracilior Géry 1964

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hyphessobrycon loretoensis Ladiges 1938

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hyphessobrycon tenuis Géry 1964

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hyphessobrycon sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, ravine Cotoyacu, confluence with Yasuni River.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hyphessobrycon sp. 2

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Yasuní River at the confluence with Jatuncocha Lagoon.

Jupiaba anteroides (Géry 1965)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Jupiaba asymmetrica (Eigenmann 1908)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Jupiaba zonata (Eigenmann 1908)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, Rio Negro.

Megalamphodus copelandi (Durbin 1908)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Megalamphodus bentosi (Durbin 1908)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Moenkhausia chrysargyrea (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Moenkhausia comma Eigenmann 1908

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Moenkhausia aff. copei

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Moenkhausia cotinho Eigenmann 1908

Distribution:

Amazonia

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Moenkhausia cf. dichroura

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Tobes et al. (2022).

Moenkhausia grandisquamis Müller & Troschel, 1845

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Escobar-Camacho et al. (2015).

Moenkhausia latissima Eigenmann 1908

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Moenkhausia lepidura (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Moenkhausia naponis Böhlke 1958

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Moenkhausia ovalis (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Moenkhausia simulata (Eigenmann 1924)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Poptella compressa (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Psalidodon henseli (de Melo & Buckup 2006)

Notes:

Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Tobes et al. (2022).

Stethaprion erythrops Cope 1870

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Thayeria obliqua Eigenmann 1908

Distribution:

Western and southern Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Tyttobrycon hamatus Géry 1973

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Order Gymnotiformes

Family Apteronotidae

Adontosternarchus balaenops (Cope 1878)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Adontosternarchus clarkae Mago-Leccia, Lundberg & Baskin 1985

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus 1766)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Apteronotus apurensis Fernández-Yépez 1968

Distribution:

Orinoco drainage.

Apteronotus bonapartii (Castelnau 1855)

Distribution:

Amazon, larger rivers.

Porotergus cf. duende

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, larger rivers.

Sternarchorhynchus curvirostris (Boulenger 1887)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Sternarchorhynchus cf. oxyrhynchus

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Family Sternopygidae

Distocyclus conirostris (Eigenmann & Allen 1942)

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Eigenmannia cf. limbata

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Eigenmannia cf. virescens

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, La Plata.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Rhabdolichops eastwardi Lundberg & Mago-Leccia 1986

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Sternopygus macrurus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Family Gymnotidae

Electrophorus varii de Santana, Wosiacki, Crampton, Sabaj, Dillman, Mendes-Júnior & Castro e C. 2019

Distribution:

Western and central Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Gymnotus carapo Linnaeus, 1758

Distribution:

Mexico to Paraguay.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Gymnotus coatesi LaMonte 1935

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, western piedmont tributaries to main channel.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Gymnotus sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Tambococha ravine.

Family Hypopomidae

Brachyhypopomus beebei (Schultz 1944)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (1996).

Brachyhypopomus brevirostris (Steindachner 1868)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Orinoco, La Plata.

Brachyhypopomus bennetti Sullivan, Zuanon & Cox Fernandes 2013

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus (Hopkins, Comfort, Bastian & Bass 1990)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages, La Plata.

Brachyhypopomus regani Crampton, de Santana, Waddell & Lovejoy 2017

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Brachyhypopomus walteri Sullivan, Zuanon & Cox Fernandes 2013

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Family Rhamphichthyidae

Gymnorhamphichthys hypostomus Ellis 1912

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Gymnorhamphichthys sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Cononaco River, close to the community Bameno.

Hypopygus lepturus Hoedeman 1962

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco, Guianas.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Steatogenys elegans (Steindachner 1880)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Order Siluriformes

Family Trichomycteridae

Henonemus punctatus (Boulenger 1887)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Ochmacanthus reinhardtii (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Ochmacanthus sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Yasuni River, confluence with Jatuncocha River.

Paracanthopoma parva Giltay 1935

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Paravandellia sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Jatuncocha lagoon.

Plectrochilus wieneri (Pellegrin 1909)

Distribution:

Napo Basin in Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pseudostegophilus nemurus (Günther 1869)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Schultzichthys bondi (Myers 1942)

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Tridens melanops Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889

Distribution:

Western and central Amazonia.

Tridentopsis pearsoni Myers 1925

Distribution:

Western, south-western Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Vandellia cirrhosa Valenciennes 1846

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Family Callichthyidae

Brochis ambiacus (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Brochis arcuatus (Elwin 1938)

Distribution:

South America: Upper Amazon River Basin.

Brochis leopardus (Myers 1933)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Brochis splendens (Castelnau 1855)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Callichthys callichthys (Linnaeus 1758)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Corydoras acutus Cope 1872

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru, southern Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Dianema longibarbis Cope 1872

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Gastrodermus elegans (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Gastrodermus napoensis (Nijssen & Isbrücker 1986)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Hoplisoma armatum (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hoplisoma leucomelas (Eigenmann & Allen 1942)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hoplisoma cf. loretoense

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hoplisoma trilineatum (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Hoplisoma cf. melini

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, south-eastern Colombia, Rio Negro.

Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock 1828)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes 1840)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Osteogaster aenea (Gill 1858)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, La Plata.

Notes:

Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Osteogaster eques (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Osteogaster rabauti (LaMonte 1941)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Family Loricariidae

Ancistrus alga (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages, Paraguay.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Ancistrus malacops (Cope 1872)

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Aphanotorulus unicolor (Steindachner 1908)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Chaetostoma branickii Steindachner 1881

Distribution:

Marañon River basin, Ecuador and Peru.

Chaetostoma microps Günther 1864

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Farlowella knerii (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, Napo, Pastaza.

Notes:

Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Farlowella nattereri Steindachner 1910

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, Essequibo.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Farlowella odontotumulus Retzer & Page 1997

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Venezuela.

Farlowella oxyrryncha (Kner 1853)

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Hypoptopoma thoracatum Günther 1868

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Hypoptopoma gulare Cope 1878

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Hypoptopoma sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Yasuní River, confluence with Jatuncocha River.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Hypostomus ericius Armbruster 2003

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Hypostomus hemicochliodon Armbruster 2003

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, upper Orinoco, upper Rio Negro.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Hypostomus oculeus (Fowler 1943)

Distribution:

North-western Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Hypostomus pyrineusi (Miranda Ribeiro 1920)

Distribution:

South-western Amazon.

Hypostomus sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, pond Sachacocha, affluent of Jatuncocha River.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Lamontichthys filamentosus (LaMonte 1935)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Lasiancistrus cf. heteracanthus

Distribution:

Rio Napo, Ecuador and Peru.

Lasiancistrus schomburgkii (Günther 1864)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Limatulichthys griseus (Eigenmann 1909)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Loricaria cataphracta Linnaeus 1758

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages

Loricaria clavipinna Fowler 1940

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Loricaria simillima Regan 1904

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco, La Plata.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Loricariichthys cashibo (Eigenmann & Allen 1942)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Loricariichthys hauxwelli Fowler 1915

Distribution:

South-eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Nannoptopoma spectabile (Eigenmann 1914)

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Nannoptopoma sternoptychum Schaefer 1996

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Otocinclus batmani Lehmann A. 2006

Distribution:

Disjunct patches in western Amazon.

Otocinclus huaorani Schaefer 1997

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Otocinclus macrospilus Eigenmann & Allen 1942

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004) .

Otocinclus cf. hoppei

Distribution:

Easternn Ecuador, Jatuncocha Lake.

Panaqolus albomaculatus (Kanazawa 1958)

Distribution:

Upper Napo, eastern Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Panaqolus dentex (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Napo, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru.

Notes:

Provenzano-Rizzi et al. (2024).

Panaqolus nocturnus (Schaefer & Stewart 1993)

Distribution:

Napo drainage, Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Panaqolus orcesi Provenzano, Barriga-Salazar & Stewart 2024

Distribution:

Ecuadorian Amazon.

Notes:

Provenzano-Rizzi et al. (2024).

Panaque nigrolineatus (Peters 1877)

Distribution:

Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Panaque schaeferi Lujan, Hidalgo & Stewart 2010

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Lujan et al. (2010).

Panaque titan Lujan, Hidalgo & Stewart 2010

Distribution:

Napo Basin, Ecuador.

Notes:

Lujan et al. (2010).

Peckoltia bachi (Boulenger 1898)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Peckoltia furcata (Fowler 1940)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Planiloricaria cryptodon (Isbrücker 1971)

Distribution:

Upper Amazonia.

Pseudohemiodon apithanos Isbrücker & Nijssen 1978

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pseudohemiodon lamina (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Provenzano-Rizzi and Barriga-Salazar (2020).

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (Kner 1854)

Distribution:

Middle and upper Amazon, Orinoco.

Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Castelnau 1855)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia.

Notes:

WCS (2007), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Pterygoplichthys punctatus (Kner 1854)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Pterygoplichthys weberi Armbruster & Page 2006

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.

Notes:

Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Rhadinoloricaria condei (Isbrücker & Nijssen 1986)

Distribution:

Napo Basin, Ecuador.

Rhadinoloricaria macromystax (Günther 1869)

Distribution:

Eastern Peru and Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Rineloricaria lanceolata (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Rineloricaria morrowi Fowler 1940

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Spatuloricaria puganensis (Pearson 1937)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Sturisoma guentheri (Regan 1904)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Sturisoma nigrirostrum Fowler 1940

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Family Cetopsidae

Cetopsis candiru Spix & Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Cetopsis coecutiens (Lichtenstein 1819)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Cetopsis oliveirai (Lundberg & Rapp Py-Daniel 1994)

Distribution:

Middle and upper Amazon.

Cetopsis plumbea Steindachner 1882

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Denticetopsis seducta Vari, Ferraris & de Pinna 2005

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Helogenes marmoratus Günther 1863

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Family Aspredinidae

Bunocephalus coracoideus (Cope 1874)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Bunocephalus knerii Steindachner 1882

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Bunocephalus verrucosus (Walbaum 1792)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Ernstichthys intonsus Stewart 1985

Distribution:

Napo Basin, Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Micromyzon akamai Friel & Lundberg 1996

Distribution:

Amazon, Madeira, Napo, main channel and direct tributaries.

Notes:

Chuctaya et al. (2021).

Pseudobunocephalus amazonicus (Mees 1989)

Distribution:

Upper and middle Amazon.

Pseudobunocephalus bifidus (Eigenmann 1942)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Pterobunocephalus depressus (Haseman 1911)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay Basins.

Xyliphius lepturus Orcés V. 1962

Distribution:

Upper Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Xyliphius melanopterus Orcés V. 1962

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Family Auchenipteridae

Ageneiosus inermis (Linnaeus 1766)

Distribution:

Most of S.A. east of the Andes.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Ageneiosus vittatus Steindachner 1908

Distribution:

Middle Orinoco, upper Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004) .

Auchenipterichthys coracoideus (Eigenmann & Allen 1942)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Auchenipterichthys cf. thoracatus

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Auchenipterus ambyiacus Fowler 1915

Distribution:

Upper and middle Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Auchenipterus brachyurus (Cope 1878)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Auchenipterus cf. nuchalis

Distribution:

Widespread Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Centromochlus heckelii (De Filippi 1853)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Duringlanis altae (Fowler 1945)

Distribution:

South-eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Duringlanis perugiae (Steindachner 1882)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Tatia dunni (Fowler 1945)

Distribution:

South-eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, central Brazil.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Tatia intermedia (Steindachner 1877)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus 1766)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Tympanopleura atronasus (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1888)

Distribution:

Middle and upper Amazon.

Family Doradidae

Acanthodoras spinosissimus (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1888)

Distribution:

Amazon, Essequibo.

Agamyxis pectinifrons (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Amblydoras affinis (Kner 1855)

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Amblydoras monitor (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Amblydoras nauticus (Cope 1874)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Anadoras grypus (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hemidoras morrisi Eigenmann 1925

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Leptodoras acipenserinus (Günther 1868)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Leptodoras cf. cataniai

Distribution:

Napo River Basin, at the locality of Pompeya, sandy island in centre of river.

Megalodoras uranoscopus (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1888)

Distribution:

Amazon, Essequibo.

Nemadoras elongatus (Boulenger 1898)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Nemadoras humeralis (Kner 1855)

Distribution:

Amazonia.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Ossancora punctata (Kner 1855)

Distribution:

Western, south-western Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Physopyxis ananas Sousa & Rapp Py-Daniel 2005

Distribution:

Amazon, Essequibo.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Platydoras armatulus (Valenciennes 1840)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Pterodoras granulosus (Valenciennes 1821)

Distribution:

Amazon, Guianas, Paraná.

Tenellus cf. ternetzi

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo.

Tenellus trimaculatus (Boulenger 1898)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Family Heptapteridae

Cetopsorhamdia orinoco Schultz 1944

Distribution:

Orinoco River Basin, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela.

Brachyrhamdia marthae Sands & Black 1985

Distribution:

Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Gladioglanis conquistador Lundberg, Bornbusch & Mago-Leccia 1991

Distribution:

Ravine Cotoyacu, downstream from the confluence of the Yasuni River.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Imparfinis longicauda (Boulenger 1887)

Distribution:

Bobonaza River Basin in upper Partaza River drainage in Ecuador and Rio Corrente in Brazil.

Imparfinis nemacheir (Eigenmann & Fisher 1916)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon and Orinoco River Basins and Lake Maracaibo Basin: Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

Myoglanis sp. 1

Distribution:

Laguna Azul, near the confluence of the Chambira and Tiputini Rivers.

Pariolius armillatus Cope 1872

Distribution:

Upper Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pimelodella aff. gracilis

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, La Plata.

Pimelodella lateristriga (Lichtenstein 1823)

Distribution:

Southern Amazon.

Notes:

Tobes et al. (2022).

Pimelodella sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Tiputini River.

Pimelodella cristata (Müller & Troschel 1849)

Distribution:

Amazon and Orinoco River Basins and coastal rivers of north-eastern Brazil (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana and Peru).

Pimelodella cyanostigma (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

South America: upper Amazon Basin (Ecuador and Peru).

Rhamdia poeyi Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1888

Distribution:

Mamoré, upper Napo and Tocantins River Basins: Bolivia, Brazil and Ecuador.

Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard 1824)

Distribution:

Mexico to Argentina.

Family Pimelodidae

Aguarunichthys torosus Stewart 1986

Distribution:

Amazon River drainage (Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia).

Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (Lichtenstein 1819)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Brachyplatystoma juruense (Boulenger 1898)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Brachyplatystoma platynema Boulenger 1898

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (Britski 1981)

Distribution:

Amazon.

Calophysus macropterus (Lichtenstein 1819)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), WCS (2007), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Cheirocerus eques Eigenmann 1917

Distribution:

Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Cheirocerus goeldii (Steindachner 1908)

Distribution:

South-western Amazonia.

Hemisorubim platyrhynchos (Valenciennes 1840)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hypophthalmus edentatus Spix & Agassiz 1829

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Megalonema platycephalum Eigenmann 1912

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo.

Phractocephalus hemioliopterus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazon.

Pimelodus altissimus Eigenmann & Pearson 1942

Distribution:

Amazon.

Pimelodus blochii Valenciennes 1840

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Pimelodus jivaro Eigenmann & Pearson 1942

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Pimelodus ornatus Kner 1858

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages, Paraná.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pimelodus pictus Steindachner 1876

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pimelodus sp. 1

Distribution:

Napo River, next to Tiputini military detachment.

Pimelodus sp. 2

Distribution:

Napo River, Anangucocha Lagoon.

Pinirampus pirinampu (Spix & Agassiz 1829)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo, Paraná.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Platystomatichthys sturio (Kner 1858)

Distribution:

Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (Linnaeus 1766)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo, Paraná.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (Castelnau 1855)

Distribution:

Amazon.

Notes:

Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum (Valenciennes 1840)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Sorubim elongatus Littmann, Burr, Schmidt & Isern 2001

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Sorubim lima (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Sorubim maniradii Littmann, Burr & Buitrago-Suárez 2001

Distribution:

Middle, upper Amazon.

Zungaro zungaro (Humboldt 1821)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Family Pseudopimelodidae

Batrochoglanis villosus (Eigenmann 1912)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo.

Microglanis pellopterygius Mees 1978

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Order Synbranchiformes

Family Synbranchidae

Synbranchus marmoratus Bloch 1795

Distribution:

Mexico to northern Argentina

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Order Carangiformes

Family Achiridae

Apionichthys menezesi Ramos 2003

Distribution:

Rio Napo in Ecuador, Rio Negro, Orinoco, Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (2011), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Apionichthys nattereri (Steindachner 1876)

Distribution:

Amazon.

Hypoclinemus mentalis (Günther 1862)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Family Cichlidae

Order Cichliformes

Aequidens cf. diadema

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Negro.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Aequidens tetramerus (Heckel 1840)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Orinoco, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Tobes et al. (2022).

Apistogramma amoena Cope, 1872

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, north-eastern Peru.

Notes:

Considered a species inquirenda in Apistogramma (sensu Kullander (2003)).

Apistogramma cruzi Kullander 1986

Distribution:

Peru, Ecuador, Colombia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Barriga (2011).

Apistogramma payaminonis Kullander 1986

Distribution:

Napo Basin in Ecuador.

Apistogramma playayacu Römer, Beninde & Hahn 2011

Distribution:

Napo Basin in Ecuador.

Apistogramma sp. 1

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, Jatuncocha Lake.

Astronotus ocellatus (Agassiz 1831)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018).

Bujurquina mariae (Eigenmann 1922)

Distribution:

South America: Meta River Basin of the Orinoco River Basin, Colombia.

Bujurquina moriorum Kullander 1986

Distribution:

Napo Basin in Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Bujurquina syspilus (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Amazon tributaries in Peru, Ecuador.

Caquetaia myersi (Schultz 1944)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Chaetobranchus flavescens Heckel 1840

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages, Orinoco.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Cichla monoculus Spix & Agassiz 1831

Distribution:

Western Amazonia.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Cichlasoma cf. amazonarum

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, plus northern drainages.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Crenicara punctulata (Günther 1863)

Distribution:

Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Essequibo.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Crenicichla sedentaria Kullander 1986

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Heroina isonycterina Kullander 1996

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Colombia.

Heros efasciatus Heckel 1840

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (2011), Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Hypselecara temporalis (Günther 1862)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Laetacara flavilabris (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Lugubria cincta (Regan 1905)

Distribution:

Napo, Amazon.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Tobes et al. (2022).

Lugubria johanna (Heckel 1840)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages.

Mesonauta cf. insignis

Distribution:

Amazon River and Orinoco River Basins (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela).

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Mesonauta mirificus Kullander & Silfvergrip 1991

Distribution:

Western Amazonia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Satanoperca jurupari (Heckel 1840)

Distribution:

Widespread Amazonia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Orinoco.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Saxatilia anthurus (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Saxatilia lucius (Cope 1870)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Saxatilia proteus (Cope 1872)

Distribution:

Upper Amazon of Ecuador, Peru.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004).

Order Cyprinodontiformes

Family Rivulidae

Anablepsoides erberi (Berkenkamp 1989)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Anablepsoides limoncochae (Hoedeman 1962)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Galacatos et al. (2004).

Anablepsoides urophthalmus (Günther 1866)

Distribution:

Amazon.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Order Beloniformes

Family Belonidae

Potamorrhaphis guianensis (Jardine 1843)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Guianas.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Barriga (2011).

Pseudotylosurus angusticeps (Günther 1866)

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, Paraguay, Paraná.

Notes:

Barriga (1994).

Pseudotylosurus microps (Günther 1866)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Guianas.

Notes:

Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013).

Order Acanthuriformes

Family Sciaenidae

Pachyurus stewarti Casatti & Chao 2002

Distribution:

Eastern Ecuador.

Notes:

Barriga (2011).

Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel 1840)

Distribution:

Amazon, plus northern drainages, Paraguay, Paraná.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), WCS (2007), Barriga (2011), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete (2013), Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. (2018), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Order Tetraodontiformes

Family Tetraodontidae

Sphoeroides asellus (Müller & Troschel 1849)

Distribution:

Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo.

Notes:

Barriga (1994), Galacatos et al. (2004), Guarderas and Jácome-Negrete (2013), Jácome-Negrete et al. (2018).

Analysis

Fish species in YNP span 13 orders, 47 families, 239 genera and 458 species (Fig. 3). Characiformes and Siluriformes contributed the most to species richness (43% and 38%, respectively). These are followed by Cichliformes and Gymnotiformes. The richest families in YNP are Loricariidae and Acestrorhamphidae (Figs 3, 4). Additionally, 23 families each account for at least 1% of the total fish richness (Fig. 3).

Figure 3.

Species richness by order (A) and family (B), where frequency represents the proportion of unique species from each order or family in the database.

Figure 4.

Examples of species from Yasuní National Park denoting their morphological and phylogenetic diversity. A Ancistrus malacops (Loricariidae); B Carnegiella strigata (Gasteropelecidae); C Serrasalmus rhombeus (Serrasalmidae); D Bujurquina moriorum (Cichlidae); E Calophysus macropterus (Pimelodidae); F Gymnotus carapo (Gymnotidae); G Anablepsoides limoncochae (Rivulidae); H Hypoclinemus mentalis (Achiridae); I Synbranchus marmoratus (Synbranchidae); J Hypostomus hemicochliodon (Loricariidae); K Mylossoma albiscopum (Serrasalmidae). Photos: courtesy of José Vieira (https://www.ex-situphotography.com/).

The updated list more than doubles the previous YNP inventory (Barriga 1994) and accounts for 70% of the known fish species in the Napo Basin and 21.9% of the entire Amazon Basin (Jézéquel et al. 2020). The fish richness in YNP surpasses that of other Amazonian reserves of comparable or larger size (Table 1). This underscores Yasuní as a biodiversity hotspot specifically for fishes, which represent the second most species-rich vertebrate group in YNP after birds (Bass et al. 2010).

Table 1.

Download as

CSV

XLSX

Fish richness from different protected areas of the Amazon Basin.

Protected Area	Area (km²)	# Species	Reference
Yasuní National Park (YNP)	9,823	458	This study
Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve (MSDR), Brazil	11,137	340	Queiroz and Peralta (2010)
Tumucumaque National Park, Brazil	38,867	207	Bernard (2008)
Jau National Park, Brazil	22,720	320	IUCN (2000)
Madidi National Park, Bolivia	18,958	333	National-Parks (2022)
Manu National Park, Peru	17,162.95	201	Parques-Nacionales (2019)
La Paya National Natural Park, Colombia	4,401	230	Peña Alzáte et al. (2020)

Discussion

Our study added 205 species to the 253 previously listed by Barriga (1994) for the YNP, representing an 80% increase in species richness. This substantial increase is primarily attributed to a significant expansion of the sampling area, encompassing zones that were not included in the Barriga (1994) list. These additional data were obtained through collection campaigns conducted by MEPN (e.g. Barriga (2011)), samplings in the Cononaco and Curaray Rivers in 2014, unpublished data), MECN (Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. 2018) and USFQ (Swing 2017). Other contributing factors include the description of new species in the YNP (Provenzano-Rizzi and Barriga-Salazar 2020, Provenzano-Rizzi et al. 2024), new records (Chuctaya et al. 2021, Chuctaya et al. 2023), increased collections from environmental consulting activities, taxonomic re-identifications and curatorial activities involving the biological collections analysed in the present study.

Our results also align with the common structure of the Neotropical ichthyofauna, characterised by the dominance of ostariophysan fishes (Sleen and Albert 2018). Characiform species showed the highest percentage, followed by Siluriformes. This proportional dominance at the order level has also been observed in other inventories conducted in areas surrounding the YNP, such as the Upper Napo River Basin (Anaguano-Yancha and Cueva 2016), Cuyabeno (Barriga et al. 2016) and the Pastaza River Basin (Rivadeneira et al. 2010). Similar patterns have been reported in other regions of the western (Meza-Vargas et al. 2021), central (Oliveira et al. 2020) and lower Amazon (Fróis et al. 2021).

This pattern extends to the family level, with Loricariidae (55 species) and Acestrorhamphidae (52 species) being the most species-rich families. Loricariidae has long been amongst the most diverse families, historically ranking second in species richness (Roxo et al. 2019). However, taxonomic revisions splitting Acestrorhamphidae, Characidae and Stevardiidae from the broader Characidae (Melo et al. 2024) have elevated Loricariidae to the top position. The high species richness of Loricariidae reflects significant lineage and ecological diversification (Lujan et al. 2012), whereas the diversity of characiform families, widely distributed across the Neotropics (Reis et al. 2003, Albert and Reis 2011), results from habitat shifts, morphological diversification and trophic niche adaptations (Guisande et al. 2012). Furthermore, high relative diversity of Cichlidae (29) and Pimelodidae (28) coincides with diversity patterns described in the Upper Amazon (Dagosta and Pinna 2019, Meza-Vargas et al. 2021). Although these patterns in the YNP coincide with others previously recorded in the region, a comparative analysis between its extension and the recorded species shows a greater concentration of diversity per area in relation to other historically diverse protected areas, such as Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve with 34% more species or even with areas that quadruple its extension, such as Tumucumaque National Park registering 120% greater fish richness (Table 1).

The extraordinary fish diversity in YNP results from multiple ecological and biogeographic factors. First, the convergence of white- and black-water rivers in the YNP support distinct fish communities typical of sediment-rich white waters and tannin-rich black waters (Bogotá-Gregory et al. 2020). This area has been categorised as one of the ecoregions with the highest density of fish species in the Neotropics (Albert and Reis 2011). Second, major rivers in this area have been historically shaped by shifting connections and isolations fostering diversification of fish assemblages (Albert et al. 2006, Londoño-Burbano and Britto 2023). Finally, the YNP’s connection to central Amazonia likely facilitates extensive sympatric diversification in the western Amazon (Wesselingh and Carina 2011, Londoño-Burbano and Britto 2023). Remarkably, the updated list for YNP reports no introduced species, highlighting it as one of Ecuador’s few protected areas where native fish populations remain unthreatened by the impacts of exotic species (Aguirre et al. 2021). This underscores the importance of conservation efforts in YNP, which provide ecosystem services such as maintenance of biodiversity and provision of food security (Berlin and Markell 1977, Dufour 1983, Sirén 2011).

The Park’s fish diversity reflects a wide range of ecologies, morphologies and life history traits (Fig. 4). Indigenous communities depend on at least 72 species for consumption, trade and medicinal uses, with large predatory pimelodids being particularly favoured (García-Dávila et al. 2013, García-Dávila et al. 2018, Duponchelle 2021). Conservation concerns include 19 threatened species in YNP, many of which are heavily exploited by artisanal fisheries (Fig. 5) (Escobar-Camacho 2024).

Figure 5.

Examples of species exploited in artisanal fisheries for livelihoods and food security in Yasuní National Park. A Prochilodus nigricans (Prochilodontidae); B Platynematichthys notatus (Pimelodidae); C Aguarunichthys torosus (Pimelodidae); D Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (Pimelodidae); E Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (Pimelodidae); F Potamotrygon motoro (Potamotrygonidae); G Zungaro zungaro (Pimelodidae); H Pterodoras granulosus (Doradidae). Photos: courtesy of Kelly Swing (A, B, C and D), Jonathan Valdiviezo-Rivera (F, G and H) and Daniel Escobar-Camacho (E).

Most fish collections from MEPN and MECN-DP (Fig. 6) are concentrated in medium to large rivers such as the Napo, Tiputini, Yasuní and Shiripuno, leaving the southern interior of YNP under-sampled. Given the high ichthyological diversity across rivers, forest streams, and lagoons of the northern area of YNP (Ibarra and Stewart 1989, Bojsen and Barriga 2002, Galacatos et al. 2004), identifying these sampling gaps is crucial for understanding migration, reproduction and feeding patterns (Duponchelle 2021). Expanding surveys in these areas may document species recorded outside YNP or refine distribution knowledge of species already present. This has been evident in studies of northern YNP, where cryptic diversity and rediscovered species have been reported (Escobar-Camacho et al. 2015, Provenzano-Rizzi and Barriga-Salazar 2020, Valdiviezo-Rivera et al. 2021, Říčan et al. 2023).

Figure 6.

Yasuní National Park and sampling sites based on records from MEPN and MECN-DP.

Beyond geographic sampling limitations, species lists for large regions like the western Amazon are further complicated by cryptic diversity,rare species and behavioural adaptations. Small-bodied or elusive species often evade detection, requiring targeted efforts for confirmation (Swing et al. 2014). Some species are rarely captured due to habitat preferences or migration patterns, as seen in recent rediscoveries like Rhyacoglanis pulcher and Micromyzon akamai in the Curaray River Basin (Chuctaya et al. 2021, Chuctaya et al. 2023). Large species also present sampling challenges, though evidence, such as drifting larvae of large pimelodids in the Napo River (Hermann et al. 2021), confirms their presence. Similarly, migratory siluriforms such as Aguarunichthys torosus and Pterodoras granulosus (Fig. 5), while absent from museum collections, frequently appear in nearby markets, indicating their likely presence in the study area.

The intent of this list is to provide a baseline for future studies that would use this information to develop hypotheses and better understand fish diversity in the Ecuadorian Amazon. This list is also intended to provide basic information to the scientific community and society at large so that adequate measures may be applied for the conservation of these natural resources and the maintenance of genetic diversity.

Conclusions

By compiling curated datasets, we developed an updated list of freshwater fish species in YNP, doubling species richness compared to previous lists. This list represents 70% of the Napo River Basin’s known species and 20% of the Amazon Basin’s. Our results highlight the ecological and cultural importance of YNP, including its provision of services to indigenous communities and the threats several species face from anthropogenic disturbances. We identify under-sampled habitats requiring further study and underscore the need for preserving YNP’s biodiversity and ecosystem services. This list aims to support future research, management and conservation efforts.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank José R. Daza for his help in making the map figures and to José Vieira and Esteban Suárez for providing images used in the figures.

References

Aguirre WE, Alvarez-Mieles G, Anaguano-Yancha F, Burgos-Morán R, Cucalón RV, Escobar-Camacho D, Jácome-Negrete I, Jiménez-Prado P, Laaz E, Miranda-Troya K, Navarrete-Amaya R, Nugra Salazar F, Revelo W, Rivadeneira JF, Valdiviezo Rivera J, Zárate H (2021)

Conservation threats and future prospects for the freshwater fishes of Ecuador: A hotspot of Neotropical fish diversity

Journal of Fish Biology

(

1158

‑

1189

. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14844

Albert JS, Lovejoy NR, Crampton WG (2006)

Miocene tectonism and the separation of cis- and trans-Andean river basins: Evidence from Neotropical fishes

Journal of South American Earth Sciences

‑

. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsames.2005.07.010

Albert JS, Reis RE (2011)

Historical biogeography of Neotropical freshwater fishes

University of California Press

Berkeley, Los Angeles, London

408

pp. https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520268685.003.0005

Anaguano-Yancha F, Cueva R (2016)

Peces del alto río Napo, Ecuador

WCS

. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2019.9925

Barriga R (1994)

Peces del Parque Nacional Yasuní

Politécnica

‑

Barriga R (2011)

Peces.

In: Albuja LV (Ed.)

Fauna de Guiyero, Parque Nacional Yasuní.

Ecofondo

Quito

190

pp.

Barriga R (2012)

Lista de peces de agua dulce e intermareales del Ecuador

Revista Politécnica

‑

119

Barriga R, Ortega H, Usma JS, Correa EV, et al. (2016)

Peces del Corredor TrinacionalLa Paya-Cuyabeno-Güeppí Sekime

. In: WWF (Ed.)

Diversidad biológica y cultural del Corredor Trinacional deáreas protegidas La Paya - Cuyabeno - Güeppí Sekime

WWF

Bogotá D.C.

333

pp.

Bass MS, Finer M, Jenkins CN, Kreft H, Cisneros-Heredia DF, McCracken SF, Pitman NCA, English PH, Swing K, Villa G, Di Fiore A, Voigt CC, Kunz TH (2010)

Global conservation significance of Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park.

PLOS One

(

8767

. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008767

Berlin EA, Markell EK (1977)

An assessment of the nutritional and health status of an Aguaruna Jivaro community, Amazonas, Peru

Ecology of Food and Nutrition

‑

. https://doi.org/10.1080/03670244.1977.9990483

Bernard E (2008)

Rapid Biological Inventories in the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park, Amapá, Brazil

Conservation International

Arlington

151

pp.

Bogotá-Gregory JD, Lima FC, Correa SB, Silva-Oliveira C, Jenkins DG, Ribeiro FR, Lovejoy NR, Reis RE, Crampton WG (2020)

Biogeochemical water type influences community composition, species richness, and biomass in megadiverse Amazonian fish assemblages

Scientific Reports

‑

. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-72349-0

Bojsen B, Barriga R (2002)

Effects of deforestation on fish community structure in Ecuadorian Amazon streams

Freshwater Biology

2246

‑

2260

. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2427.2002.00956.x

Chuctaya J, Encalada AC, Barragán KS, Torres ML, Rojas KE, Ochoa-Herrera V, Carvalho TP (2021)

New Ecuadorian records of the eyeless banjo catfish Micromyzon akamai (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) expand the species range and reveal intraspecific morphological variation

Journal of Fish Biology

1186

‑

1191

. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14630

Chuctaya J, Shibatta OA, Encalada AC, Barragán KS, Torres MdL, Rojas E, Ochoa-Herrera V, Ferrer J (2023)

Rediscovery of Rhyacoglanis pulcher (Boulenger, 1887) (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae), a rare rheophilic bumblebee catfish from Ecuadorian Amazon.

PLOS One

e0287120

. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287120

Dagosta FP, Pinna MD (2019)

The Fishes of the Amazon: Distribution and Biogeographical Patterns, with a Comprehensive List of Species

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

2019

(

431

). https://doi.org/10.1206/0003-0090.431.1.1

Dufour DL (1983)

Nutrition in the northwest Amazon: Household dietary intake and time-energy expenditure

. In: Hames RB, Vickers WT (Eds)

Adaptive responses of native amazonians

1st Edition

Academic Press

516

pp. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-21910-6

Duponchelle F, et al. (2021)

Conservation of migratory fishes in the Amazon basin Fabrice

Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems

(

1087

‑

1105

. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3550

Escobar-Camacho D, Barriga R, Ron S (2015)

Discovering hidden diversity of characins (Teleostei: Characiformes) in Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park

PLOS One

(

e0135569

. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135569

Escobar-Camacho D, et al. (2024)

Lists of fishes occurring in the Yasuní National Park (Napo River basin, Ecuador) confirms its “Biodiversity Hotspot” status

DRYAD

. URL: https://datadryad.org/stash/share/X4IreyD2eZ-sMxbBCoWIpCOJ1uumUUluIxSoOAcLAqY

Fróis RdPdS, Ribeiro BO, Zuanon J, Mortati AF (2021)

Fish fauna of small-order streams of savannah and forest fragments landscape in the lower Tapajós River basin, Amazonia

Biota Neotropica

(

). https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2020-1179

Galacatos K, Stewart DJ, Ibarra M (1996)

Fish community patterns of lagoons and associated tributaries in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Copeia

1996

(

875

‑

894

. https://doi.org/10.2307/1447650

Galacatos K, Barriga-Salazar R, Stewart DJ (2004)

Seasonal and habitat influences on fish communities within the Lower Yasuni River Basin of the Ecuadorian Amazon

Environmental Biology of Fishes

‑

. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EBFI.0000043156.69324.94

Galvis G, Mojica JI, Duque SR, Castellanos C, Sánchez-Duarte P, Arce M, Gutiérrez Á, Jiménez L, Santos M, Vejarano S, Arbeláez F, Prieto E, Leiva M (2006)

Peces del medio Amazonas: Región de Leticia

Conservación Internacional., Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá

548

pp.

García-Dávila C, Sánchez H, Flores M, Mejia J, Angulo C, Castro-Ruiz D, Estivals G, García A, Vargas G, Nolorbe C, Núñez J, Mariac C, Duponchelle F, Renno J-F (2018)

Peces de consumo de la Amazonía peruana

Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP)

Iquitos

218

pp.

García-Dávila C, Duponchelle F, Castro-Ruiz D, Villacorta J, Quérouil S, Chota-Macuyama W, Núñez J, Römer U, Carvajal-Vallejos F, Renno J (2013)

Molecular identification of a cryptic species in the Amazonian predatory catfish genus Pseudoplatystoma (Bleeker, 1962) from Peru

Genetica

141

347

‑

358

. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-013-9734-5

Guarderas L, Jácome-Negrete I (2013)

Curaray Causac Yacu: conocimiento y gestión territorial de los humedales del Pueblo Kichwa de la cuenca media y baja del río Curaray desde la visión de Sumac Allpa y del Sumac Causai

Instituto Quichua de Biotecnología Sacha Supai IQBSS

Quito

272

pp. [ISBN

978-9942-13-416-5

]

Guisande C, Pelayo-Villamil P, Vera M, Manjarrés-Hernández A, Carvalho M, Vari R, Jiménez LF, Fernández C, Martínez P, Prieto-Piraquive E, Granado-Lorencio C, Duque S (2012)

Ecological Factors and Diversification among Neotropical Characiforms

International Journal of Ecology

2012

‑

. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/610419

Hermann TW, Stewart DJ, Barriga Salazar RE, Coghlan SM (2021)

Spatial and temporal patterns of pelagic catfish larvae drifting in lowland rivers of Eastern Ecuador (Pisces: Siluriformes)

Ichthyology and Herpetology

109

978

‑

990

. https://doi.org/10.1643/i2020019

Ibarra M, Stewart DJ (1989)

Longitudinal zonation of sandy beach fishes in the Napo River Basin, Eastern Ecuador

Copeia

1989

364

‑

381

. https://doi.org/10.2307/1445433

IUCN (2000)

World Heritage Nomination - Iucn Technical Evaluation Jaú National Park (BRAZIL).

Jácome-Negrete I (2013)

Etnoictiología Kichwa de las lagunas de la cuenca baja del río Curaray

Biota Colombiana

(

‑

Jácome-Negrete I, Santi S, Cuji A, Viteri E, Alvarado V (2018)

Incidencia de la pesca artesanal en la riqueza y composición ictiológica en lagunas de la Amazonía central del Ecuador

Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías

386

‑

413

Jézéquel C, Tedesco P, PA T, Bigorne R, Maldonado-Ocampo J, Ortega H, Hidalgo M, Martens K, Torrente-Vilara G, Zuanon J, Acosta A, Agudelo E, Barrera Maure S, Bastos D, Bogotá Gregory J, Cabeceira F, Canto A, Carvajal-Vallejos F, Carvalho L, Cella-Ribeiro A, Covain R, Donascimiento C, Dória C, Duarte C, Ferreira E, Galuch AV, Giarrizzo T, Leitão R, Lundberg J, Maldonado M, Mojica J, Montag L, Ohara W, Pires T, Pouilly M, Prada-Pedreros S, Queiroz L, Rapp Py-Daniel L, Ribeiro F, Ríos Herrerai R, Sarmiento J, Sousa L, Stegmann L, Valdiviezo-Rivera J, Villa F, Yunoki T, Oberdorff T (2020)

A database of freshwater fish species of the Amazon Basin

Scientific Data

‑

. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-0436-4

Kass JM, Guenard B, Dudley KL, Jenkins CN, Azuma F, Fisher BL, Parr CL, Gibb H, Longino JT, Ward PS, Chao A, Lubertazzi D, Weiser M, Jetz W, Guralnick R, Blatrix R, Des L, Donoso DA, Georgiadis C, Gomez K, Hawkes PG, Johnson RA, Lattke JE, MacGown JA, Mackay W, Robson S, Sanders NJ, Dunn RR, Economo EP (2022)

The global distribution of known and undiscovered ant biodiversity

Science Advances

(

). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abp9908

Londoño-Burbano A, Britto M (2023)

A new species of Sturisoma Swainson, 1838 (Loricariidae: Loricariinae), from the Madeira River basin, with a discussion of historical biogeography of western Amazonas and Paraguay River basins

Journal of Fish Biology

102

188

‑

203

. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15251

Lujan N, Hidalgo M, Stewart D (2010)

Revision of Panaque (Panaque), with descriptions of three new species from the Amazon basin (Siluriformes, Loricariidae)

Copeia

2010

(

676

‑

704

. https://doi.org/10.1643/CI-09-185

Lujan NK, Winemiller KO, Armbruster JW (2012)

Trophic diversity in the evolution and community assembly of loricariid catfishes

BMC Evolutionary Biology

(

). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-12-124

MAATE (2023)

Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas -SNAP.

Ministerio del Ambiente, Agua y Transición Ecológica

. URL: http://ide.ambiente.gob.ec:8080/mapainteractivo/

Melo BF, Ota RP, Benine RC, Carvalho FR, Lima FCT, Mattox GMT, Souza CS, Faria TC, Reia L, Roxo FF, Valdez-Moreno M, Near TJ, Oliveira C (2024)

Phylogenomics of Characidae, a hyper-diverse Neotropical freshwater fish lineage, with a phylogenetic classification including four families (Teleostei: Characiformes)

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

202

(

). https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae101

Meza-Vargas V, Faustino-Fuster D, Chuctaya J, Hidalgo M, Torres HO (2021)

Checklist of freshwater fishes from Loreto, Peru

Revista peruana de biología 28(especial)

e21911

. https://doi.org/10.15381/rpb.v28iespecial.21911

Mittermeier RA, Turner WR, Larsen FW, Brooks TM, Gascon C (2011)

Global biodiversity conservation: The critical role of hotspots

. In: Zachos F, Habel J (Eds)

Biodiversity Hotspots

Springer

Berlin

546

pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20992-5

National-Parks (2022)

Madidi National Park.

https://national-parks.org/bolivia/madidi.. Accessed on: 2024-1-04.

Oliveira RCd, Deprá GdC, Zawadzki CH, Silva JCBd, Graça WJd (2020)

Checklist of the fishes from Jamari River basin, in areas under influence of dams, Rondônia, Brazil

Biota Neotropica

(

). https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2019-0803

Pappalardo SE, De Marchi M, Ferrarese F (2013)

Uncontacted Waorani in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve: Geographical validation of the Zona Intangible Tagaeri Taromenane (ZITT)

PLOS One

(

e66293

. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066293

Parques-Nacionales (2019)

Parque Nacional del Manu.

Plataforma digital única del Estado Peruano

. URL: https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/informes-publicaciones/1948163-parque-nacional-del-manu.

Peña Alzáte Á, Magno H, Yocuro J, Muñoz J, Vargas N, Tusarma A, Morales H (2020)

Biometría peces Parque Nacional Natural La Paya v1.0.

Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia

Dataset/Occurrence

. https://doi.org/10.15472/tmyrr7

Provenzano-Rizzi F, Barriga-Salazar R (2020)

New finding of Rhadinoloricaria macromystax (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): redescription of the genus and description of a new species from Ecuador

Zootaxa

4779

(

). https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4779.4.2

Provenzano-Rizzi F, Barriga-Salazar R, Stewart DJ (2024)

Two new species of the armored catfish genus Panaqolus (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) from the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Zootaxa

5463

(

112

‑

126

. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5463.1.7

Queiroz H, Peralta N (2010)

Protected areas in the Amazonian Várzea and their role in its conservation: The case of Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve (MSDR)

Amazonian Floodplain Forests: Ecophysiology, Biodiversity and Sustainable Management

465

‑

483

. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8725-6_22

Reid AJ, Carlson AK, Creed IF, Eliason EJ, Gell PA, Johnson PTJ, Kidd KA, MacCormack TJ, Olden JD, Ormerod SJ, Smol JP, Taylor WW, Tockner K, Vermaire JC, Dudgeon D, Cooke SJ (2019)

Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for freshwater biodiversity.

Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

(

849

‑

873

. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12480

Reis R, Kullander S, Carl J. Ferrari J (2003)

Check List of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America

EDIPRUCS

Porto Alegre

742

pp.

Říčan O, Říčanová Š, Rodriguez Haro L, Rodriguez Haro C (2023)

Unrecognized species diversity and endemism in the cichlid genus Bujurquina (Teleostei: Cichlidae) together with a molecular phylogeny document large-scale transformation of the western Amazonian river network and reveal complex paleogeography of the Ecuadorian Amazon

Hydrobiologia

850

2199

‑

2229

. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-022-05019-z

Rivadeneira JF, Anderson E, Dávila S (2010)

Peces de la cuenca del río Pastaza, Ecuador

Fundación Natura

Roxo F, Ochoa L, Sabaj M, Lujan N, Covain R, Silva GC, Melo B, Albert J, Chang J, Foresti F, Alfaro M, Oliveira C (2019)

Phylogenomic reappraisal of the Neotropical catfish family Loricariidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes) using ultraconserved elements

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

135

148

‑

165

. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2019.02.017

Sabatini F, et al. (2022)

Global patterns of vascular plant alpha diversity

Nature Communications

(

4683

). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32063-z

Sanchez H, Nolorbe C, Garcia A, Ismino R, Chota W, Tello S, Garcia-Davila C (2013)

Diversidad y Abundancia de peces en los rios Arabela y Curaray (Cuenca del Rio Napo) en Epoca de vaciente y creciente del 2012, Amazonia Peruana

Folia Amazónica

‑

. https://doi.org/10.24841/fa.v22i1-2.47

Sayre R, Bow J, Josse C, Sotomayor L, Touval J (2008)

Terrestrial ecosystems of South America.

North America Land Cover Summit. Association of American Geographers

Sirén A (2011)

El Consumo de pescado y fauna acuática silverstre en la Amazonía ecuatoriana.

FAO

Sleen Pvd, Albert J (2018)

Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas

Princetwon University Press

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400888801

Stewart D, Ibarra M, Barriga-Salazar R (2002)

Comparison of Deep-River and Adjacent Sandy-Beach Fish Assemblages in the Napo River Basin, Eastern Ecuador

Copeia

2002

(

333

‑

343

. https://doi.org/10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[0333:CODRAA]2.0.CO;2

Stewart DJ, Barriga-Salazar R, Ibarra M (1987)

Ictiofauna De La Cuenca Del Rio Napo, Ecuador Oriental: Lista Anotada de Especies

Politécnica

‑

Swing K, Denkinger J, Carvajal V, Encalada A, Silva X, Coloma LA, Guerra JF, Campos-Yánez F, Zak V, Riera P, Rivadeneira JF, Valdebenito H (2014)

Las colecciones científicas: percepciones y verdades sobre su valor y necesidad

Revista Bitácora Académica USFQ

Swing K (2017)

Observaciones preliminares sobre la ictiofauna amazónica del Ecuador

. In: Romo D, Mosquera D (Eds)

Los secretos del Yasuní: avances en la investigación del bosque tropical: Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini, Universidad San Francisco de Quito

USFQ Press

Quito

. [In

Spanish

]. [ISBN

978-9978-68-105-3

]. https://doi.org/10.18272/USFQPRESS.m6

Thomassen HA, Fuller T, Buermann W, Milá B, Kieswetter CM, Jarrín PV, Cameron SE, Mason E, Schweizer R, Schlunegger J, Chan J, Wang O, Peralvo M, Schneider CJ, Graham CH, Pollinger JP, Saatchi S, Wayne RK, Smith TB (2011)

Mapping evolutionary process: A multi-taxa approach to conservation prioritization

Evolutionary Applications

397

‑

413

. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-4571.2010.00172.x

Tickner D, Opperman JJ, Abell R, Acreman M, Arthington AH, Bunn SE, Cooke SJ, Dalton J, Darwall W, Edwards G, Harrison I, Hughes K, Jones T, Leclère D, Lynch AJ, Leonard P, McClain ME, Muruven D, Olden JD, Ormerod SJ, Robinson J, Tharme RE, Thieme M, Tockner K, Wright M, Young L (2020)

Bending the Curve of Global Freshwater Biodiversity Loss: An Emergency Recovery Plan

BioScience

(

330

‑

342

. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa002

Tobes I, Carrillo-Moreno C, Guarderas-Flores L, Jácome-Negrete I, Velázquez-Cárdenas Y (2022)

Ethnoichthyology and Ethnotaxonomy of the Kichwa Indigenous People of Arawanu (Arajuno), in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.826781

Trujillo Montalvo P (2018)

Identificación y dinámica de los Pueblos Indígenas en Aislamiento Voluntario (PIAV) en el Yasuní

Boletín de Antropología

271

‑

296

. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.boan.v33n55a12

Valdiviezo-Rivera J, Carrillo-Moreno C, Gea-Izquierdo E (2018)

Annotated list of freshwater fishes of the Limoncocha Lagoon, Napo river basin, northern Amazon region of Ecuador

Check List

(

‑

. https://doi.org/10.15560/14.1.55

Valdiviezo-Rivera J, Carrillo-Moreno C, Koch C (2020)

Species and geographic distribution of Mylossoma Eigenmann & Kennedy, 1903 from Ecuador

Check List

317

‑

322

. https://doi.org/10.15560/16.2.317

Valdiviezo-Rivera J, Carriel MB, Escobar-Camacho D (2021)

Rediscovery of Hemigrammus unilineatus (Gill, 1858) (Characiformes, Characidae) in Ecuador after more than three decades

Check List

1181

‑

1185

. https://doi.org/10.15560/17.4.1181

WCS (2007)

El tráfico de carne silvestre en el Parque Nacional Yasuní: Caracterización de un mercado creciente en la Amazonía Norte del Ecuador.

Quito, Ecuador

Wesselingh F, Carina H (2011)

Geological development of Amazon and Orinoco Basins

. In: Albert JS, Reis RE (Eds)

Historical biogeography of Neotropical freshwater fishes

University of California Press

Berkeley, Los Angeles, London

388

pp. https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520268685.003.0003

Wilkinson MJ, Marshall LG, Lundberg JG, Kreslavsky MH (2010)

Megafan environments in Northern South America and their impact on Amazon Neogene aquatic ecosystems

. In: Hoorn C, Wesselingh EP (Eds)

Amazonia, landscape and species evolution: A look into the past

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

West Sussex

433

pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444306408.ch10

Supplementary material

Endnotes