Open AccessMind the (information) gap: the importance of exploration and discovery for assessing conservation priorities for freshwater fish
Author(s) -
Alofs Karen M.,
Liverpool Elford A.,
Taphorn Donald C.,
Bernard Calvin R.,
LópezFernández Hernán
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
diversity and distributions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.918
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1472-4642
pISSN - 1366-9516
DOI - 10.1111/ddi.12127
Subject(s) - endemism , threatened species , biodiversity , ecology , freshwater fish , species richness , habitat , geography , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , fishery
Biodiversity conservation often is aimed at areas of high species richness and endemism. Our understanding of freshwater fish diversity in the Neotropics is biased by lack of exploration within mountainous regions that historically have been difficult to access. These regions are particularly likely to contain high species endemism. The upper Mazaruni River drainage is hydrogeographically and climatically distinct from the rest of the Essequibo Basin. Recent ichthyological expeditions to the upper Mazaruni discovered up to 32 species previously unknown to science and a fish assemblage with perhaps the highest level of endemism in the Neotropics. This unique ichthyofauna is threatened by gold mining that has severely degraded aquatic habitats and therefore requires immediate protection.