Bryconops munduruku is a small freshwater fish of the family Iguanodectidae that lives in the rivers of South America. Its adipose fin is black, with a clear base, and it has two humeral spots, which is a feature it shares with few congeners. Its fins are a variety of yellow, red, black, and clear, and mature males have hooks on select fin-rays.
Originally cited from the lower Rio Tapajós, B. munduruku's name pays homage to its type locality. Known as the Tapajós-Tapera, a denomination of Munduruku Indians (an indigenous culture of Brazil) formed the settlement that became the municipality from whence B. munduruku was described, Aveiro.
Taxonomy
Bryconops munduruku is considered a member of the subgenusCreatochanes in the genus Bryconops.[1] It has been regarded as such since its description in 2015.[2] It is sometimes listed as a characin, or member of the family Characidae, but a study in 2011 moved the genera Bryconops, Piabucus, and Iguanodectes into a new family, Iguanodectidae.[3]
Bryconops munduruku has retained its original name, and has no known synonyms.[4]
Etymology
The specific epithet of Bryconops munduruku is in reference to its type locality. A group of Munduruku Indians, the Tapajós-Tapera, settled in the place that would eventually become Aveiro, which is the municipality where B. mundukuru was discovered.[5] The genus name "Bryconops" means "resembling Brycon" ("ops" means "appearance").[6]
Description
Bryconops munduruku is a reddish color above the lateral line, with a light-gray belly.[2] It reaches a length of about 9.6 cm (3.8) at a maximum.[6] The upper regions of the head, jaw, and face are a dark gray color.[7] The eyes are red at the upper margin, and yellow everywhere else. The dorsal fin has a red base half and a hyaline (clear) outer half, which is a pattern shared by the caudal fin. The pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as the first few rays of the anal fin, are yellow.[2]
It has two humeral spots, which is a similarity it shares with congener B. inpai, but B. inpai has a stripe extending from its anal-fin base to its caudal-fin base whereas B. munduruku has a uniform color pattern therein.[8] The adipose fin is black with a clear base, which differentiates B. munduruku from B. inpai and B. piracolina, both of which have entirely black adipose fins.[6]B. piracolina can also be told from B. munduruku because its dorsal fin sports a large black blotch.[4]
Sexual dimorphism
Bryconops munduruku demonstrates sexual dimorphism. In mature males, several rays of the anal, pelvic, and dorsal fins bear hooks or spines that are absent in females.[7] The hooks on the anal fin are larger, while the ones on the dorsal and pelvic fins are more akin to spines.[2] This is a feature not uncommon in Bryconops, also demonstrated by congeners like B. florenceae,[9]B. cyrtogaster,[8] and B. gracilis.[10]
Habitat and ecology
Bryconops munduruku was originally described from a small tributary of the Rio Tapajós in Brazil, the igarapé Açu; this is a location about 10 kilometers from Aveiro, in Brazil'sPará State.[6] Congeners that also live in the Rio Tapajós are B. durbinae,[11]B. gracilis,[12] and B. melanurus.[13] There is evidence to suggest that B. munduruku is an endemic species therein.[14]
With a pH that ranges from 4.5 to 7.8, the Tapajós is a rather acidic clearwater river.[15]B. munduruku in particular was collected from fast-moving water over a sandy riverbed, a specific environment it shares with congener B. giacopinii.[2] Part of the igarapé Açu is within the Tapajós National Forest and is therefore bordered by dense vegetation;[6] this may present a source of food for B. munduruku, though specific dietary needs are not known. (Members of Bryconops tend to either be insectivores that take supplemental plant material or sole herbivores.)[16][17]
Bryconops munduruku has not been evaluated by the IUCN.[6] Nonetheless, its native habitat of the Rio Tapajós is under constant anthropogenic threat, especially in the modern era. Usually, the water is clear,[18] but instances of illegal gold mining have kicked up or added so much sediment that portions of the river turn entirely brown.[citation needed] Illegal gold mining is a thriving industry in South America, despite its dangers to both participants and to the environment,[19][20] and so species like B. munduruku are under greater survival pressure.[21]
The importance of the Rio Tapajós, however, has prompted various plans for infrastructure development and legal mining operations to be reconsidered, which offers B. munduruku a greater chance of survival.[22] This is also positive news for a human population of roughly 1.4 million people.[21]
↑ "Illegal Gold Mining". USAID. United States Agency for International Development. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
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