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Introduction


The Biobahia project has the aims to evaluate the fish fauna in less explored aquatic systems along extreme southern Bahia. The purpose is to have a better knowledge of the fishes and to investigate the history of those river basins, in a biogeographical approach. Historical biogeography may much contribute on the choice of areas for establishment of conservation units.

The project involves research activities along the river basins between the rio Mucuri to the rio Jequitinhonha. For the development of project the whole area was separated into three groups of river basins. (1) The first one includes the rivers Peruípe, Itanhém and Jucuruçu. (2) The second group is composed by the small river basins at Cumuruxatiba and the rivers Cahy and Corumbau. (3) The third group includes the basins of rivers Caraíva, Frades, Buranhém, João de Tiba and Santo Antônio.

In order to stablish the project, an environmental license was asked to the governmental agency IBAMA on May 5th., 2004 (Process n. 02006003053/06-90 IBAMA/MMA - SUP.ESTADUAL/BA). The Biobahia Project is being developed as a Post-Doctoral research theme by Dr. Luisa Maria Sarmento Soares, and recently received the benefit of a Grant from the CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico). The Post-Doctoral proposal receives institutional support by the Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Ecologia Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes, under the supervision of Dr. Rosana Mazzoni.

The studies under development regarding the fish fauna covered research fieldwork within areas 1 and 2. During this phase the access to potential collection sites were checked during a trip to the study area (see data from this recognition expedition under RECONHECIMENTO). The information achieved during this previous expedition was employed for the presentation of a funding proposal asked for the first collection expedition."All Catfish Species Inventory Project" on July –2004, and was accepted on August –2004 (ACSI Funding Proposal 04-15). The "All Catfish Species Inventory- ACSI" is expected to result in the discovery and description of new catfish species, in order to complete the taxonomical knowledge of a globally diverse taxon: the Siluriformes. The project receives funding resources by the "National Science Foundation" in USA, and within its main purpose the fieldwork studies of catfish fauna in less explored environments have priority.

The first trip of Biobahia Project was taken between October 21st. to 3rd. November 2004 (See expedition information under A COLETA). During this first trip 46 localities were inventoried, in the river basins of Mucuri, Peruípe, Jucuruçu, Cahy and small rivers at Cumuruxatiba, between the States of Bahia and Minas Gerais. There were captured 356 lots of fishes with 4.182 specimens in 52 distinct species. Among them, four catfish species were described as new and sent to publication. Trichomycterus pradensis, published in 2005; Microglanis pataxo, published in 2006, Ituglanis cahyensis, published in 2006 and also a distinct Parotocinclus sp, in advanced stage of manuscript description. Other species of freshwater fishes captured during this first trip were sent to specialists for description. The fishes captured are being incorporated to the ichthyological collections of the Museu Nacional/ UFRJ.

A house was rent in the Cumuruxatiba village, at Prado-Bahia, in order to work as a research fieldbase, also functioning as a classroom for teaching about fishes to the local students. For development of the second phase of the project biobahia, our intention is to conclude the fish inventory of the area and apply the adequate methodologies for the knowledge of the local species distribution.

In order to complete the catfish species inventory, a new proposal is being submitted to the "All Catfish Species Inventory Project" for appreciation of a request for funding. The intention is to provide fieldwork along the river basins of rio Caraíva, rio dos Frades, rio Buranhém, rio João de Tiba and rio Santo Antonio.

The study area, the extreme southern Bahia, correspond to a region of great importance for biodiversity, with three federal conservation units (Parques Nacionais) and one biological reserve. In spite of the preservation areas distributed along this region, the freshwater fish fauna is almost ignored. The knowledge about freshwater fishes is in need to be improved, as the rhythm of deforestation is accelerated in the area, due to agriculture and cattle activities and also due to the almost recent introduction of Eucalyptus tree grooves for the industry of paper.

The definition of patterns of endemism and the knowledge about fish diversity in the southern Bahia region may be of some help in the establishment of parameters for the choice of areas to be used as conservation units.

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