Assessment of fish assemblage in an urban system, Itapecerica River, upper São Francisco River basin, Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Despite the economic and ecological importance of the Itapecerica River, there is no information about the local fish fauna. The aim of the present study was to provide a list of fish species in Itapecerica River, a tributary of the upper São Francisco River basin, inside an urban area. The specimens were collected quarterly from May 2010 to February 2012, using casting nets, trawl net and gillnets. We listed 29 species belonging to 21 genera of 14 families and 4 orders. Characiformes were represented by 16 species, Siluriformes by nine, Gymnotiformes and Perciformes by two each. Three alien species and five migratory fish were recorded. The low number of species found in this study in relation to São Francisco basin, could be reflecting the high level of degradation of waters in the Itapecerica River.