The CARDUME initiative: Integrating Brazil's scientific fish collections to promote research and biodiversity conservation José L O Birindelli, Francisco Severo-Neto, Cristiano R Moreira, Lucas F Colares, Lucas P Oliveira, et al. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2025 Brazil hosts the highest fish diversity globally, underscoring the critical role of Brazilian Scientific Fish Collections (BSFCs) in biodiversity research and conservation. Despite their importance, BSFCs face persistent challenges. This study introduces the CARDUME network, the first nationwide initiative to assess BSFCs and propose strategies to enhance their role in ichthyology. Data from 74 collections across 25 Brazilian federal units reveal that most are affiliated with public universities and house 8 502 992 catalogued specimens in 906 890 lots, including over 2600 primary types. Although digitization efforts are underway in 92% of BSFCs, only 37% currently share data online. Genetic resources are severely limited, with tissue samples available for just 3% of specimens. Significant funding disparities exist, with 70% of collections receiving less than USD170 annually. Gender inequality is also notable, with more male-curated than female-curated collections. Survey responses highlighted issues such as staff shortages, inadequate facilities, and limited resources for fieldwork and collection curation. CARDUME aims to address these gaps through collaboration, professional training, improvement of data quality, and increase of shared data, while also advocating for recognition by Brazilian institutions, funding agencies, and the government. O resumo em português está disponível no material suplementar.
Hooked by the tongue: buccal parasitism of Moenkhausia spp. (Ostariophysi: Acestrorhamphidae) by Paracymothoa astyanaxi (Isopoda: Cymothoidae) Artur Firmino, André Vital, Rayssa Nayara, Veronica Slobodian Revista Brasileira De Parasitologia Veterinaria, 2025 Parasite-host interactions are shaped by environmental and biological factors, leading to diverse host impacts ranging from tissue damage to physiological impairments. The Tocantins-Araguaia basin, particularly the Upper Rio Tocantins region, harbors remarkable fish diversity and endemism, making it a critical area for parasitological research. Here, we report the first record of parasitism by isopods of the genus Paracymothoa in Moenkhausia species (M. aurantia and M. goya) from the Upper Rio Tocantins basin. The parasites (Paracymothoa astyanaxi) were located in the buccal cavity and frequently associated with visible lesions, including tongue amputation, a known outcome of their trophic behavior. This finding contributes to the understanding of parasitic diversity associated with Moenkhausia and underscores the relevance of parasitological surveys in Neotropical freshwater systems. It also provides insights into local ecological pressures and supports the development of conservation strategies for endemic ichthyofauna in biodiversity-rich and ecologically sensitive areas.
Redescription of ‘Chasmocranus’ brachynema (Heptapteridae: Heptapterini) Gabriel de Carvalho Deprá, Veronica Slobodian Neotropical Ichthyology, 2024 The endangered species ‘Chasmocranus’ brachynema is redescribed and diagnosed among other Heptapterini by having the adipose fin extensively fused with the caudal fin, caudal fin shallowly bifurcate, and anal-fin insertion posterior to a vertical through the adipose-fin insertion, in addition to peculiarities of the head and mouth morphology. The species seems to be very rare, known only from five preserved specimens from the main channels of the Paraná and Mogi-Guaçu rivers, and from a tributary of the rio Ivaí, all in the Upper Paraná ecoregion.
A new species of Pimelodella (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Paraguai basin, Brazil, with a discussion regarding its distribution Veida Pierre, Veronica Slobodian Neotropical Ichthyology, 2024 A new species of Pimelodella is described from the rio Paraguai basin in Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso States, Brazil. The new species distinguishes from all other members of the genus based on a unique combination of characteristics, which include: dorsal profile straight from snout to dorsal-fin, maxillary barbel reaching at least the anal-fin terminus when parallel to main body axis, robust dorsal-fin spine bearing small spinules along three-fourths of its posterior margin, 41–42 total vertebrae (rarely 43 or 44), 13–23 large and retrorse blades at the posterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine, and dorsolateral region of body slightly darkened. This study also discusses the ichthyofaunal similarities between the Paraguai and Amazon basins, shedding light on their biogeographic history. Additionally, the research includes considerations about the sexual dimorphism of Pimelodella and provides an identification key for the Pimelodella species found in the Paraguai basin.
Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: Setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil Walter A. Boeger, Michel P. Valim, Hussam Zaher, José A. Rafael, Rafaela C. Forzza, et al. Zoologia, 2024 The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil ( CTFB ) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606
Skull Hunt: An Educational Game for Teaching Biology Julio Litwin Lima, Carla D. Castanho, Luiz Belmonte, Veronica Slobodian, Guilherme Gomes Carvalho, et al. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, 2023
FAMILY HEPTAPTERIDAE—THREE-BARBELED CATFISHES Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon Orinoco and Guianas, 2017
First reliable records of distribution of Brachyrhamdia meesi Sands & Black, 1985 (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 2016
