Search

Resumen Eremophilus mutisii (Humboldt, 1805) es un pez endémico del altiplano cundiboyacense, cuya categoría de amenaza actual es vulnerable. El programa nacional para la conservación de esta especie sirvió de base para el plan de conservación en la jurisdicción CAR Cundinamarca de 2018. Este plan se sustentó en el diagnóstico del estado de conservación de la especie presentado en este estudio. Para ello, se investigó su distribución geográfica a partir de colecciones biológicas y salidas de campo a ecosistemas acuáticos previamente identificados por la CAR y el grupo investigador. Se evaluó la presencia de E. mutisii en los ríos Suárez, Bogotá (cuenca alta), Ubaté, Veraguas, Frío, Aguas Claras y Muña, y en la laguna de Fúquene y los embalses del Neusa y Tominé, mediante un protocolo de muestreo basado en la pesca eléctrica y la toma de parámetros fisicoquímicos. El esfuerzo de pesca fue de 0,044 y 0,054 individuos/hora para los ríos y lagunas (o embalses), respectivamente. Se capturaron en total 17 individuos, 53% fueron adultos, 41% juveniles y 6% alevines. La relación longitud-peso encontrada indica que el coeficiente de crecimiento de la especie fue alométrico positivo. Se corroboró que E. mutisii se distribuye geográficamente en un rango altitudinal de 2540-3000 m s. n. m., aunque no se registró en las cuencas de los ríos Bogotá, Veraguas, Ubaté, Suárez y Frío. El declive de estas poblaciones se debe principalmente a factores antrópicos, como la transformación y fragmentación de los ecosistemas, la introducción de especies invasoras y la contaminación de los cuerpos hídricos. Abstract Eremophilus mutisii (Humboldt, 1805), is an endemic fish to the Cundiboyacense plain, currently classified as vulnerable. The national programme to the catfish conservation, was used as a source for implementing the conservation plan in the CAR Cundinamarca in 2018. The present study performed the conservation status diagnosis of E. mutisii in the Cundinamarca region which provides the basis for this conservation plan. In accordance, catfish geographical distribution was investigated by accessing biological collection information and conducting fish surveys of both lentic and lotic systems in pre-selected sites identified by the CAR officials and the research team. E. mutisii presence was evaluated in the Suárez, Bogotá (high basin), Ubaté, Veraguas, Frío, Aguas Claras and Muña rivers, also in the Fúquene lagoon and the Neusa and Tominé reservoirs. An electric fishing technique and physicochemical parameters measurement were used as the fish sampling approach of this study. The catfish catch per unit effort was 0.054 and 0.044 individuals/hour for rivers and lagoons (or reservoirs), respectively. A total of 17 individuals were captured, 53% of them were adults, 41% juveniles and 6% small fry. The length-weight relationship found indicates that the species growth was positive allometric. It was confirmed that catfish is geographically distributed in an elevation range of 2540-3000 masl, although it was not reported in the Bogotá, Veraguas, Ubaté, Suarez and Frio rivers. The decline of E. mutisii populations is mainly due to anthropic factors, such as transformation and fragmentation of ecosystems, introduction of invasive species and water bodies contamination.

Eremophilus mutisii (Humboldt, 1805), is an endemic fish to the Cundiboyacense plain, currently classified as vulnerable. The national programme to the catfish conservation, was used as a source for implementing the conservation plan in the CAR Cundinamarca in 2018. The present study performed the conservation status diagnosis of E. mutisii in Cundinamarca region which provides the basis for this conservation plan. In accordance, catfish geographical distribution was investigated by accessing biological collection information and conducting fish surveys of both lentic and lotic systems in pre-selection sites identified by the CAR officials and the research team. E. mutisii presence was evaluated in the Suarez, Bogota (high basin), Ubate, Veraguas, Frio, Aguas Claras and Muna rivers, also in the Fuquene lagoon and the Neusa and Tomine reservoirs. An electric fishing technique and physicochemical parameters measurement were used as the fish sampling approach of this study. The catfish catch per unit effort was 0.054 and 0.044 individuals/hour for rivers and lagoons (or reservoirs), respectively. A total of 17 individuals were captured, 53% of them were adults, 41% juveniles and 6% small fry. The length-weight relationship found indicates that the species growth was positive allometric. It was confirmed that catfish is geographically distributed in an elevation range of 2540–3000 masl, although it was not reported in the Bogota, Veraguas, Ubate, Suarez and Frio rivers. The decline of E. mutisii populations is mainly due to anthropic factors, such as transformation and fragmentation of ecosystems, introduction of invasive species and water bodies contamination.