AquaticFauna-rama

Cent. Amer. Freshwater Fauna: Fishes“Primary” Freshwater Fishes (low salinity tolerance)

• Characins (Tetras)• Catfishes (especially pimelodids & loricariids)

• Electric Knifefishes“Secondary” Freshwater Fishes (higher salinity

tolerance)

• Cichlids• Poeciliids (Livebearers)

Cyprinodontids (pupfishes) Rivulids

Marine Fishes (those with wide salinity tolerance)

Characins, Catfishes, & E. Knifefishes

Cichlids

Cichlids

Poeciliids & Cyprinodontids

Kryptolebias (Rivulus) marmoratus

Marine Fishes Entering Freshwaters

Cent. Amer. Freshwater Fauna: Decapods

• Crabs• Shrimps

Central America Freshwater Fauna: Other Vertebrates

Amphibians (VERY low salinity tolerance)

• Frogs – larvae VERY important in sm. streams

• Salamanders – esp. larvae

• CaeciliansReptiles (includes Birds) (higher salinity tolerance)

• Turtles• Crocodiles and Caimans• Various Birds – waders & divers

Mammals (refer to Kleier presentation)

Central America Freshwater Fauna: Typhlonectes sp.

Cent. Amer. Marine Fauna: FishesShallow-Water Fishes - Reefs (coral & otherwise),

sandy shores, rocky shores, eelgrass beds, & mangroves

Various body shapes and a wide range of camouflage and advertisement colors.

Open-Water Fishes Usually streamlined body shapes and silver, gray,

or dusky blue color. Deep-Water Fishes - (won’t talk more about)

Various body shapes and black, bright red, or silvery color… often with photophores.

Shallow Marine Fauna: FishesCoral Reef (Food) Specialists

Butterfly FishesParrot Fishes

SurgeonFishes

Cleaner Gobies

Shallow Marine Fauna: FishesCleaner Gobies

Shallow Marine Fauna: FishesCoral Reef (Space & Food) Specialists

Damsel Fishes Bluehead Wrasse

Shallow Marine Fauna: FishesSeagrass Specialists

Seahorses

Pipefish

Lizard Fishes

Sharptail Eel

Marine Fauna: Manatees & Green Sea Turtles

Open-Water Marine Fauna: Fishes

Tuna

Sailfish

Mahi Mahi

Jack

Open-Water Marine Fauna: FishesWhale Shark

Blue Shark Oceanic White Tip

Marine Fauna: Baleen Whales

Humpback Whales

Bryde’s Whale

Marine Fauna: Toothed Whales

Sperm Whale

Grampus Killer Whale

Marine Fauna: “Dolphins”Bottlenose Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Spinner Dolphin

Spotted Dolphin

Tucuxi

Tropical Western AtlanticTropical

Eastern Pacific

COLD

COLD

VERYDEEP

Marine FaunalInterchange &

Barrier

Biogeography

North American Freshwater Fish GroupsPerches & DartersSunfishes & Black BassesN. Amer. Minnows & CarpsN. Amer. Catfishes(very few entered C. America)

South American Mammal GroupsXenarthra (anteaters, armadillos, & sloths)Didelphid OpossumsCaviomorph RodentsNew World Monkeys

N. Hemisphere Mammal GroupsCarnivores (foxes, cats, weasels, etc.)Cetiartiodactyla (peccaries, camels, & deer – camels later extinct in N. Amer.)

Perissodactyls (tapirs – later extinct in N. Amer.)Sigmodontine Rodents

South AmericanFreshwater Fish Groups

New World CichlidsCharacins (Tetras)

Electric KnifefishesS. Amer. Catfishes

Central AmericanFreshwater Fish Group

Poeciliids (Livebearers)

Terrestrial & FreshwaterFaunal Interchange

Biogeography