title: Conservation status of an endangered annual fish Hypsolebias antenori (Rivulidae) from Northeastern Brazil.
abstract: This work presents information regarding the biology and state of conservation of an endangered annual fish Hypsolebias antenori. Fish were captured from small seasonal pools located in Northeastern Brazil. The total body length, body mass, sex ratio, first sexual maturity were investigated. The sampled population showed sexual dimorphism. There was a predominance of females (60%) over males (40%) with a sex ratio of 1: 1.4 and males were bigger and heavier than the females. Amplitude of total length of males ranged from 2.6 to 7.1cm (4.1 ± 1.15) and that of females from 2.2 to 5.4 cm (3.6 ± 0.9). Amplitude of body mass of males varied from 0.25 to 7 g (1.3 g ± 1.4) and that of females from 0.12 to 2.1g (0.7 g ± 0.5). The total weight-length equation of males was Wt = 0.0108Lt3.172 with r = 0.9826 and of females was Wt = 0.0122Lt3.0114 with r = 0.9608. Females attained first sexual maturity at 3.2 cm (± 0.25) total length and males at 3.3 cm (± 0.08) total length. All temporary pools surveyed in Northeastern Brazil were in a high degree of degradation, suffering due to anthropogenic action. Reduced rainfall resulting from global climate change prevents the filling up of these pools, thus preventing the completion of the reproductive cycle of annual fishes. One factor hindering development of conservation strategies is limited literature on biology and conservation status of annual fishes. There is a need for conservation measures to protect annual fish populations, especially creation of protected areas in the Brazilian semiarid region.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Oceanografia e Limnologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chellappa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chellappa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D057231:Climate Change; D003532:Cyprinodontiformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D056727:Endangered Species; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012744:Sex Ratio