First report of Genidens barbus during the non-reproductive period in coastal waters of Río Negro, Argentina

Authors

  • Andrea D. Tombari Centro de Investigación y Transferencia Río Negro (CONICET-UNRN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Sede Atlántica, Rotonda Cooperación y RP Nº 1, 8500AEC - Viedma, Argentina
  • Fernando Andrés Consultor independiente, Calle Patagonia 820, San Antonio Oeste, Argentina
  • Laura S. López Greco Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Crecimiento y Nutrición de Crustáceos Decápodos, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA) (UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología de Invertebrados Acuáticos, Instituto Patagónico del Mar, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia “San Juan Bosco” (IPaM-UNPSJB), Puerto Madryn, Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2921-497X
  • M. Cecilia González Dubox Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Crecimiento y Nutrición de Crustáceos Decápodos, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA) (UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47193/10.47193/mafis.3912026010107

Keywords:

White catfish, distribution, Ariidae, marine catfish, mochuelo

Abstract

The marine catfish Genidens barbus is a benthic and anadromous species distributed from Brazil to southern Argentina. Its presence during the non-reproductive period remains poorly documented. This study reported the first confirmed record of a female G. barbus outside the reproductive season, which was incidentally caught in the artisanal Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) fishery off the coast of Río Negro, Argentina (41° 05′ S-64° 03′ W) at a depth of 70 m. This finding provides novel evidence for the Patagonian population, suggesting that the species may occupy deeper marine habitats during non-reproductive periods. The presence of P. muelleri in the stomach content reinforces its benthophagous feeding habit and trophic association with the coastal benthic community. This record expands the current knowledge of the seasonal and ecological distribution of G. barbus, as well as conservation strategies. Given its status as a vulnerable species and the limited information available on its behavior outside estuaries, this finding makes a significant contribution to our understanding of Patagonian ichthyofauna and the sustainable management of its populations.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Araujo FG. 1988. Distribuição, abundância relativa e movimentos sazonais de bagres marinhos no estuário da Lagoa dos Patos. Rev Bras Zool. 5 (4): 509-543. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-81751988000400002

Avigliano E, Maichak de Carvalho B, Leisen M, Romero R, Velasco G, Vianna M, Barra F, Volpedo AV. 2017. Otolith edge fingerprints as approach for stock identification of Genidens barbus. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci. 194: 92-96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2017.06.008

Avigliano E, Pisonero J, Méndez A, Tombari A, Volpedo AV. 2022. Habitat use of the amphidromous catfish Genidens barbus: first insights at its southern distribution limit. N Z J Mar Freshw Res. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2021.1879178 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2021.1879178

Avigliano E, Volpedo A. 2015. New records of anadromous catfish Genidens barbus (Lacépède, 1803) in the Paraná Delta (South America): evidence of extent in migration corridor? Mar Biodivers Rec. 8 (23): 1-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S175526721400147X

Baigún CRM, Colautti D, López HL, Van Damme PA, Reis RE. 2012. Application of extinction risk and conservation criteria for assessing fish species in the lower La Plata River basin, South America. Aquat Conserv Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 22 (2): 181-197. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2223

Bogan S, Fernández EM. 2013. Presencia del bagre marino Genidens planifrons (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Ariidae) en las costas de la República Argentina. Rev Mus Argent Cienc Nat. 15 (1): 107-111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22179/REVMACN.15.172

Figueiredo JL, Menezes NA. 1978. Manual de peixes marinhos do sudeste do Brasil. II. Teleostei (1). São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo. 110 p. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.109986

Góngora ME, Ruibal Núñez J, Cochia PD, Bovcon ND. 2023. Species composition and assemblage analysis of fishes caught as bycatch by the Patagonian shrimp fishery in the southwest Atlantic. An Acad Bras Cienc. 95 (4): e20200735. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202320200735 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202320200735

González Dubox MC, Baggio RB, Funes AI, López Greco LS, Tombari AD. 2024. Primer reporte del bagre marino Genidens barbus (Lacepede, 1803), Siluriformes, Ariidae en la bahía de Puerto San Julián, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Foro Iberoam Rec Mar Acui. 12: 1-12.

Marceniuk AP. 2005. Redescrição de Genidens barbus (Lacépède, 1803) e Genidens machadoi (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1918), bagres marinhos (Siluriformes, Ariidae) do Atlântico Sul Ocidental. Pap Avulsos Zool. 45 (11): 111 125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0031-10492005001100001

Marceniuk AP, Menezes NA. 2007. Systematics of the family Ariidae (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes), with a redefinition of the genera. Zootaxa. 1416: 1-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1416.1.1

Marceniuk A, Oliveira C, Ferraris C. 2024. A new classification of the family Ariidae (Osteichthyes: Ostariophysi: Siluriformes) based on combined analyses of morphological and molecular data. Zool J Linn Soc. 200 (2): 426-476. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad078 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad078

Mendonça JT, Quito L, Jankowsky M, Balanin S, Garrone-Neto D. 2017. Diagnóstico da pesca do bagre-branco (Genidens barbus e G. planifrons) no litoral sudeste-sul do Brasil: subsídios para o ordenamento. Sér Relat Téc Inst Pesca. 56: 1-77.

Reis EG. 1986a. Reproduction and feeding habits of the marine catfish, Netuma barba (Siluriformes, Ariidae), in the estuary of the Patos Lagoon (Brazil). Atlantica. 8: 35-55.

Reis EG. 1986b. Age and growth of the marine catfish, Netuma barba (Siluriformes, Ariidae), in the estuary of the Patos Lagoon (Brazil). Fish Bull. 84: 679-686.

Reis EG. 1992. An assessment of the exploitation of the white croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Pisces, Sciaenidae) by the artisanal and industrial fisheries in coastal waters of southern Brazil [PhD thesis]. Norwich: University of East Anglia. 223 p.

[SAGyP] Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca. 2025. Pesca marítima 2025. [consultado 11 noviembre 2025]. https://www.magyp.gob.ar/sitio/areas/pesca_maritima/.

Segura AM, Delgado EA, Carranza A. 2008. La pesquería de langostino en Punta Del Diablo (Uruguay): un primer acercamiento. Pan Am J Aquat Sci. 3: 232-236.

Sieldfeld K. 1979. Nuevo registro de Netuma barbus (Lacepède) 1803 para aguas chilenas (Pisces: Siluriformes). An Inst Patagonia. 10: 189-192. http://200.54.63.162/handle/20.500.11893/723

Tavares LE, Luque JL. 2004. Community ecology of the metazoan parasites of white sea catfish, Netuma barba (Osteichthyes: Ariidae), from the coastal zone of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Braz J Biol. 64: 169-176. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-69842004000100019

Tavares MTM, Di Beneditto APM. 2017. Feeding habits and behaviour of Bagre bagre and Genidens barbus, two ariid catfishes (Pisces: Siluriformes) from southeastern Brazil. J Threat Taxa. 9 (10): 10771-10775. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3758.9.10.10771-10775

Velasco G, Reis EG. 2004. Changes in growth seasonality throughout Netuma barba (Lacépéde, 1803) (Siluriformes, Ariidae) ontogeny. Bras J Biol. 64: 371-382. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-69842004000500024

Velasco G, Reis EG, Vieira JP. 2007. Calculating growth parameters of Genidens barbus (Siluriformes, Ariidae) using length composition and age data. J Appl Ichthyol. 23: 64-69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.2006.00793.x

Vieira JP, Castello JP. 1997. Fish fauna. In: Seeliger U, Odebrecht C, Castello JP, editors. Subtropical convergence environments: the coastal and sea in the southwestern Atlantic. Berlin: Springer. p. 56-61.

Downloads

Published

2025-11-18

How to Cite

Tombari, A. D., Andrés, F., López Greco, L. S., & González Dubox, M. C. (2025). First report of Genidens barbus during the non-reproductive period in coastal waters of Río Negro, Argentina. Marine and Fishery Sciences (MAFIS), 39(1). https://doi.org/10.47193/10.47193/mafis.3912026010107

Most read articles by the same author(s)