Ictiofauna estuarina da área de proteção ambiental Barra de Mamanguape - PB com base no acervo da coleção de ictiologia da UFPB

Abstract

Estuaries are semi-closed aquatic environments with free connection to the ocean and located in an area shared between the continent and the ocean, where seawater is diluted by freshwater from continental drains. Due to this capacity for productivity and great biodiversity, many human communities have been exploring these ecosystems for a long time leading to overexploitation of resources or environmental degradation. The present study aimed to gather information available in the literature about the composition of estuarine fish species at APA Barra do Rio Mamanguape, as well as to analyze specimens available in the ichthyological collection of UFPB, performing their taxonomic identification, in order to produce an updated systematic list. The research was carried out at APA Barra do Rio Mamanguape, a conservation unit managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation and comprising the estuaries and mangroves of the Mamanguape and Miriri rivers. The materials in question were collected in previous projects carried out at APA and stored in the ichthyological collection at UFPB. 1,237 individuals of estuarine fish were registered, distributed in 47 families, 97 genera and 145 species. Among the specimens collected, bone fish were the most representative (n = 1227), with a small portion of cartilaginous fish (n = 10), represented by rays (n = 7) and a single species of shark. The Sciaenidae family showed greater wealth, with 10 genera and 16 species totaling 48 individuals, and in relation to abundance, the Clupeidae family (31.12%) stood out due to the number of samples of Opisthonema oglinum (n = 372). Some species mentioned in previous works were not represented in the collection, such as, for example, Archosargus rhomboidalis (Sparidae) and Trichiurus lepturus (Trichiuridae). The present study showed a great diversity of estuarine fish from the APA Barra do Rio Mamanguape, presenting important species for the economy, culture and livelihood of local communities, besides being essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, demonstrating the need and importance of maintaining this APA.