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Diversity and distribution of anostomoid fishes (Teleostei: Characiformes) throughout the Guianas

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Title Diversity and distribution of anostomoid fishes (Teleostei: Characiformes) throughout the Guianas
Names Sidlauskas, Brian L. (creator)
Vari, Richard P. (creator)
Date Issued 2012-03-31 (iso8601)
Note This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Société Française d’Ichtyologie and can be found at: http://www.mnhn.fr/sfi/cybium/.
Abstract Fifty-six species or approximately 20% of the Neotropical characiform superfamily Anostomoidea (families
Anostomidae, Chilodontidae, Curimatidae and Prochilodontidae) occur in the freshwaters of French Guiana, Guyana,
and Suriname although these regions span only approximately 6% of the native range of this morphologically and ecologically
diverse superfamily. As a result of the high diversity of anostomoids in the Guianas, the taxonomic and/or geographic
boundaries of many species are poorly understood, particularly within the family Anostomidae. This contribution unites
results of prior taxonomic revisions with surveys of the holdings of the superfamily in seven major natural history collections
to provide distribution maps and keys to the identification of all anostomoid species known to occur in the Guianas.
These maps reveal six major areas of endemism: the Takutu and Ireng rivers (Rio Branco drainage, Amazon basin), the
Barima and Waini rivers (Orinoco drainage), the Essequibo-Rupununi River system (including the Demerara and Berbice
rivers), a union of the Corantijn, Nickerie, Coppename, Saramacca and Suriname river drainages, the Marowijne/Maroni
River system (including the Litani and Mana rivers), and the Oyapock-Approuague River basins. Of these, the Essequibo-
Rupununi system harbours the most exceptionally diverse assemblage of anostomoid species, likely as a result of faunal
exchange between the Rio Branco and Essequibo River across the Rupununi portal.
Genre Article
Topic Biogeography
Identifier Sidlauskas, B., & Vari, R. (2012). Diversity and distribution of anostomoid fishes (teleostei: Characiformes) throughout the guianas. Cybium, 36(1), 71-103.

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