Fish diversity in the Gruta India Municipal Natural Park, Misiones, Argentina
The Gruta India Municipal Natural Park is located in the municipality of Garuhapé, Misiones Province, Argentina, and its main purpose is the conservation of the biodiversity of the Parana Rainforest and the cultural heritage of the site. A reach of the Tres de Mayo stream flows through the protected...
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| Autores principales: | , , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| Publicado: |
Universidad Nacional del Nordeste
2026
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| Acceso en línea: | https://revistas.unne.edu.ar/index.php/vet/article/view/9223 |
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| Sumario: | The Gruta India Municipal Natural Park is located in the municipality of Garuhapé, Misiones Province, Argentina, and its main purpose is the conservation of the biodiversity of the Parana Rainforest and the cultural heritage of the site. A reach of the Tres de Mayo stream flows through the protected area and was studied to determine the composition, structure, and conservation status of the fish community. Four seasonal sampling events were conducted between 2022 and 2023 using monofilament gill nets with mesh sizes of 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 cm between opposite knots, and a seine net and hand net in shallow areas with floating or emergent (palustrine) vegetation. Species diversity comprised 43 species belonging to the orders Characiformes, Siluriformes, Gymnotiformes, Cichliformes, Perciformes, and Clupeiformes. Alpha diversity (H′) reached a value of 3, while the non-parametric richness estimators Chao2 and Jackknife1 suggested that an additional 12 to 17 species remain undetected. Rank–abundance patterns revealed marked differences in fish assemblage structure among stream reaches, with the potamic reach exhibiting the highest species richness (33 species) and abundance (164 individuals). Similarity among sampling sites ranged from low to moderate (2–32%). Seven species were classified as common or abundant, whereas 29 rare species were predominantly recorded at sites under direct river influence. Six endemic species were recorded, including Rhamdella cainguae and Rineloricaria misionera, which are categorized as Vulnerable according to the categories and criteria of the IUCN Red List. These findings indicate that the stream functions as an important refuge for endemic and threatened ichthyofauna, highlighting its high ecological value and the need to implement basin-scale conservation strategies to ensure its long-term protection. |
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