Ichthyofauna of the Sumidouro system, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Alterations in environmental conditions may cause changes to fish assemblages regarding their composition and distribution. This study aimed to describe the composition the ichthyofauna of the Sumidouro system and to compare it with the ichthyofauna found in the Lagoa Central. The Sumidouro system is a preserved aquatic biome located on the Rio das Velhas drainage on central Brazil while the Lagoa Central is an environment under anthropogenic impact located inside the Lagoa Santa city. Sampling of the Sumidouro system was carried out, in October 2012. The similarity of the fish assemblages of both systems was evaluated in four different scenarios, built from recently published data, and compared by a cluster analysis using Sorensen similarity index. The Sumidouro system is more similar to the historical fauna of the Lagoa Central or after its isolation from Rio das Velhas. This indicates that a cave located at this region (Sumidouro Cave) may act as a barrier to fish movements. The results also allow us to infer that the intensification of urbanization around the Sumidouro system may be causing loss of aquatic biodiversity, as observed in the Lagoa Central.