Peces del oriente de Antioquia, Colombia

Abstract

The eastern Antioquia region of Colombia's central mountain range, is characterize by steep altitudinal gradients and rich hydrological resources, with the majority of the drainage flowing into the middle Magdalena River. To compile a taxonomic list of the fish of eastern Antioquia, three sources of information were used: i) the revision of unpublished literature available in regional libraries, ii) revision icthyological collections with vouchers of the region, and iii) specific field work in unstudied aquatic systems. A total of 103 species belonging to eight orders and 25 families were found. The majority of the species found belonged to the families Characidae, Astroblepidae, Loricariidae and Trichomycteridae. Of the species collected, 32 are new records for the region and four are apparently new to science. Eight exotics species are introduced, now established in natural systems. With this study the total for the region increased considerably above the 49 species that had been previously reported in literature, much of which is from the 1980's. It is important to increase collecting efforts in the eastern Antioquia region, due to the underestimation of it's fish biodiversity