Taxonomy and Systematics of Fishes of Streams of the Purus-Madeira Interfluve

The report describes a training course on the taxonomy and systematics of fish from streams in the Purus-Madeira interfluve region of the Amazon. The course was held in May 2023 at the Ichthyology and Fisheries Management Laboratory (LIOP) of the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM) in Humaitá, Brazil.

 

The course aimed to train local researchers and students in identifying fish species from the region's streams, so they can conduct field research more effectively. It was taught by biologist Lis Stegmann, an expert on the fish fauna of the area.

 

Over 40 hours, the 7 participants learned about:

 

Fish diversity in Amazon streams

Taxonomic groups and families of stream fish

Using identification keys and anatomical features to identify species

Ecology and natural history of stream fish

During the course, over 3,000 fish specimens were reviewed, resulting in 82 new catalog numbers and over 820 new specimens added to the UFAM collection.

 

The course strengthens local capacity for research that will be important in monitoring impacts of the BR-319 highway and other development in the biodiverse but threatened region.