Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Catfish Species in the Amazon Basin
Elena Ramírez Department of Aquatic Biology, Instituto de Biología de la Conservación, Madrid, Spain.
Carlos Torres Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
With the world's richest freshwater biodiversity and increasing human issues, The Amazon Basin is certainly a biodiversity flashpoint. A lack of data on the geographical distribution of freshwater fish species in this basin obstructs an inclusive knowledge of this hyper-diverse ecosystem as a whole. The Amazon Fish Initiative, an international partnership, prioritises closing this gap. Based on the research data, we give the most comprehensive distribution records for fish species in the Amazon drainage. The database includes 2,406 confirmed freshwater native fish species, 232,936 georeferenced records, and findings from a comprehensive species distribution survey involving 590 sources (including published articles, grey literature, online biodiversity databases, and scientific assortments from museums and academies around the world), as well as field trips conducted during the development. This database is a very useful data source for more research on the biodiversity, biogeography, and conservation of freshwater fish. Studies conclude that the trichomycterus species is one of the members of the catfish family. The lineage associated with this species is diverse and is responsible for its phylogenetic relationship with the other species members of the family. The evolution phases shown by trichomycterids species are influenced by certain climatic factors. It is provided at georeferenced locales (21,500 localities) and sub-drainage grains.