About the presence, abundance and distribution of larval Galaxias maculatus and Galaxias platei (Pisces, Galaxiidae) in Andean Lake

BARRIGA, JUAN PABLO; BATTINI, MIGUEL ÁNGEL; CUSSAC, VÍCTOR ENRIQUE

Melbourne, Australia

Congreso; XXVIII congress, “Socitas Internationalis Limnologiae”; 2001

Socitas Internationalis Limnologiae

Landlocked population of Galaxias maculatus and Galaxias platei reproduce in Andean lakes where their early stages constitute almost all the ichthyoplankton diversity. In this study we performed a seasonal sampling program during two years, trawling ichthyoplankton nets at depths up to 20 m in three interconnected lakes with different trophic status. Formaldehyde preserved free embryos and larvae identified to species level based on its multidimensional morphology. We observed different distribution among depths and among lakes and also a dial cycle of abundance. We analyse the data in relation to physical and biological characteristics of the lakes.