Browsing by Autor "Fabrice Duponchelle"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 24

Breeding behaviour and distribution of the tucunaréCichla aff. monoculus in a clear water river of the Bolivian Amazon
(Wiley, 2006) Huascar Muñoz; Paul A. Van Damme; Fabrice Duponchelle
The breeding behaviour and distribution of tucunaré Cichla aff. monoculus were studied for 2 months during the breeding season in the Paraguá River, Bolivia. Tucunaré were more abundant in the old remnant channels and isolated lakes than in the main river channel. The breeding period was delayed for c . 1 month in the river compared to the old remnant channels and lakes. The batch fecundity ranged between 3712 and 10 355 for females weighing 460 and 1380 g, respectively. Gonad analysis of egg‐guarding or juvenile‐guarding females showed that a female was able to spawn more than once during the breeding season. Nests were significantly larger and deeper in the isolated lakes than in the old remnant channels and in the main river. The maximum depth of the nests also differed significantly, being deeper in the isolated lakes than in the river channel and in the old remnant channels.
Commercial traceability of Arapaima spp. fisheries in the AmazonBasin: can biogeochemical tags be useful?
(2018) Luciana Alves Pereira; Roberto Ventura Santos; Marília Hauser; Fabrice Duponchelle; Fernando Carvajal; Christophe Pécheyran; Sylvain Bérail; Marc Pouilly
Abstract. The development of analytical tools to determine the origin of fish is useful to better understand patterns of habitat use and to monitor, manage and control fisheries, including certification of food origin. The application of isotopic procedures to study fish calcified structures (scales, vertebrae, and otoliths) may provide robust information about the fish geographic origin and environmental living conditions. In this study, we used Sr and C isotopic markers recorded in otoliths of wild and farmed commercialized pirarucu (Arapaima spp.) to evaluate their prediction potential to trace the fish origin. Wild and farm fish specimens, as well as food used for feeding pirarucu in captivity, were collected from different sites. Isotope analyses of otoliths performed by IRMS (δ13C) and LAfs-MC-ICPMS (87Sr/86Sr) were compared to the isotopic composition of water and of the food given to the fish in the farms. Wild fish specimens that lived in environments with the largest fluctuation of river water Sr isotope ratios over time presented the largest Sr isotope variations in otoliths. A quadratic discriminant analysis on otolith isotopic composition provided 58 % of correct classification for fish production (wild and farmed) and 76 % of correct classification for the fish region. Classification accuracy for region varied between 100 % and 29 % for the Madeira and the lower Amazon fishes, respectively. Overall, this preliminary trial is not yet fully satisfying to be applied as a commercial traceability tool. However, given the importance of Arapaima spp. for food security and the generation of economic resources for millions of people in the Amazon basin, further analyses are needed to increase the discrimination performance of these biogeographical tags.
Commercial traceability of Arapaima spp. fisheries in the Amazon basin: can biogeochemical tags be useful?
(Copernicus Publications, 2019) Luciana Alves Pereira; Roberto Ventura Santos; Marília Hauser; Fabrice Duponchelle; Fernando Carvajal-Ramírez; Christophe Pécheyran; Sylvain Bérail; Marc Pouilly
Abstract. The development of analytical tools to determine the origin of fishes is useful to better understand patterns of habitat use and to monitor, manage, and control fisheries, including certification of food origin. The application of isotopic analyses to study calcified structures of fishes (scales, vertebrae, and otoliths) may provide robust information about the fish geographic origin and environmental living conditions. In this study, we used Sr and C isotopic markers recorded in otoliths of wild and farmed commercialized pirarucu (Arapaima spp.) to evaluate their prediction potential to trace the fishes origin. Wild and farmed fish specimens, as well as food used for feeding pirarucu in captivity, were collected from different sites. Isotope composition of otoliths performed by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS; δ13C) and femtosecond laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LAfs-MC-ICPMS; 87Sr∕86Sr) were compared to the isotopic composition of water and of the food given to the fishes in the farms. Wild fish specimens that lived in environments with the largest fluctuation of river water Sr isotope ratios over time presented the largest Sr isotope variations in otoliths. A quadratic discriminant analysis on otolith isotopic composition provided 58 % of correct classification for fish production (wild and farmed) and 76 % of correct classification for the fish region. Classification accuracy for region varied between 100 % and 29 % for the Madeira and the Lower Amazon fishes, respectively. Overall, this preliminary trial is not yet fully developed to be applied as a commercial traceability tool. However, given the importance of Arapaima spp. for food security and the generation of economic resources for millions of people in the Amazon basin, further analyses are needed to increase the discrimination performance of these biogeographical tags.
Conservation of migratory fishes in the Amazon basin
(Wiley, 2021) Fabrice Duponchelle; Victoria Isaac; Carolina Rodrigues da Costa Dória; Paul A. Van Damme; Guido A. Herrera‐R; Elizabeth P. Anderson; Rivetla Edipo Araújo Cruz; Marília Hauser; Theodore W. Hermann; Edwin Agudelo Córdoba
Abstract The Amazon basin hosts the Earth's highest diversity of freshwater fish. Fish species have adapted to the basin's size and seasonal dynamics by displaying a broad range of migratory behaviour, but they are under increasing threats; however, no study to date has assessed threats and conservation of Amazonian migratory fishes. Here, the available knowledge on the diversity of migratory behaviour in Amazonian fishes is synthesized, including the geographical scales at which they occur, their drivers and timing, and life stage at which they are performed. Migratory fishes are integral components of Amazonian society. They contribute about 93% (range 77–99%) of the fisheries landings in the basin, amounting to ~US$436 million annually. These valuable fish populations are mainly threatened by growing trends of overexploitation, deforestation, climate change, and hydroelectric dam development. Most Amazonian migratory fish have key ecological roles as apex predators, ecological engineers, or seed‐dispersal species. Reducing their population sizes could induce cascading effects with implications for ecosystem stability and associated services. Conserving Amazonian migratory fishes requires a broad portfolio of research, management, and conservation actions, within an ecosystem‐based management framework at the basin scale. This would require trans‐frontier coordination and recognition of the crucial importance of freshwater ecosystems and their connectivity. Existing areas where fishing is allowed could be coupled with a chain of freshwater protected areas. Management of commercial and subsistence species also needs fisheries activities to be monitored in the Amazonian cities and in the floodplain communities to allow assessments of the status of target species, and the identification of management units or stocks. Ensuring that existing and future fisheries management rules are effective implies the voluntary participation of fishers, which can be achieved by increasing the effectiveness and coverage of adaptive community‐based management schemes.
Environment‐related life‐history trait variations of the red‐bellied piranha Pygocentrus nattereri in two river basins of the Bolivian Amazon
(Wiley, 2007) Fabrice Duponchelle; Faviany Lino; Nicolas Hubert; Jacques Panfili; Jean‐François Renno; Etienne Baras; J.P. Torrico; Remi Dugué; J. N. Rodrìguez
Life‐history traits of Pygocentrus nattereri were compared in two populations inhabiting connected tributaries of the upper Madera River: the white water Mamoré River and the clear water Iténez River. As white waters provide better trophic conditions than clear waters, the size at maturity, fecundity, reproductive effort, condition and growth of P. nattereri should be greater in the more productive white water river (Mamoré) than in the less‐productive clear water river (Iténez). Breeding periods were highly seasonal and similar in both rivers and under strong influence of photoperiod. Oocyte size‐frequency distributions, together with the frequent occurrence of recovering females indicated that an individual female spawns at least twice during the breeding season. As predicted, fish of the Mamoré were significantly larger at maturity and had higher fecundity and condition factor values than those of the Iténez. Fish from both rivers matured as yearlings. The higher growth potential of females was better expressed in the Mamoré than in the Iténez, where growth differences between sexes were weak. Females had a significantly better growth in the Mamoré than in the Iténez. The observed life‐history traits associations were consistent with the hypothesis of better trophic conditions in the Mamoré. In addition, previous genetic analyses evidenced that the colonization of the two basins is recent and that extant populations have very similar genetic backgrounds. This suggests that the observed variations in life‐history traits of P. nattereri are not related to historical factors (genetic drift) between two phylogeographically distinct lineages, but rather due to the contrasting environmental conditions in the white and clear waters.
ESTUDIO COMPARATIVO DE LA VARIABILIDAD GENÉTICA DEL ZÚNGARO TIGRINUS - Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (Britski, 1981) Y DOS ESPECIES RELACIONADAS DE LA FAMILIA PIMELODIDAE
(2012) Jorge MORI-MARIN; Jean‐François Renno; Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; Fernando ALCANTARA-BOCANEGRA; Fabrice Duponchelle; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA
En el presente trabajo se generaron los primeros resultados de la variabilidad genética de Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (Pimelodidae, Siluriformes) en la Amazonía peruana, comparándola con la variabilidad de otras dos especies de bagres de la familia Pimelodidae (B. rousseauxii y B. vaillantii). El análisis fue realizado a través del secuenciamiento nucleotídico de la región control del DNA mitocondrial (DNAmt) de 41 especímenes de B. tigrinum y 30 de cada especie a comparar (B. rousseauxii y B. vaillantii). El porcentaje de bases nucleotídicas en las tres especies fueron similares, siendo los valores de Adenina (A) y Timina (T) mayores que las de Citosina (C) y Guanina (G). El polimorfismo de DNA indicó que B. tigrinum presenta baja variabilidad genética (Haplótipos = 8, Hd = 0.527, π = 0.002) en comparación a B. rousseauxii y B. vaillantii (Haplótipos = 26, Hd = 0.986, π = 0.008; H = 27, Hd = 0.991, π = 0.016, respectivamente). Si consideramos la relación entre los valores de diversidad haplotípica y nucleotídica del DNAmt propuesto para teleósteos marinos, podemos clasificar a las especies comparativas (B. rousseauxii y B. vaillantii) como aquellas que poseen poblaciones estables, con grandes tamaños efectivos, elevado flujo de genes y amplia distribución geográfica. Mientras que B. tigrinum con sus reducidos valores de diversidad haplotípica y nucleotídica, podría estar reflejando que esta especie ha pasado por un reciente efecto de cuello de botella o un efecto fundador, que estaría causando pérdida de diversidad genética.
Evidence of reproductive isolation among closely related sympatric species of Serrasalmus (Ostariophysii, Characidae) from the Upper Madeira River, Amazon, Bolivia
(Wiley, 2006) Nicolas Hubert; Fabrice Duponchelle; J. N. Rodrìguez; Rosario Rivera; Jean‐François Renno
The delimitation of the Serrasalmus species (Characiformes, Serrasalminae) from the Bolivian Amazon (Amazonas, Madeira) was examined using intron length polymorphism assessed by EPIC‐PCR. The six pairs of primers provided 16 polymorphic loci across the species of the region and the allelic diversity ranged between two and 10 alleles per locus. For each locus, the lack of departure from Hardy‐Weinberg expectations in a large number of the populations analysed and the homogenous distribution of linkage disequilibrium between paralogous loci and loci belonging to different intronic systems provided strong lines of evidence that the 16 amplified loci constituted independent neutral markers. Furthermore, allelic diversity was size‐dependent, thereby indicating that insertion‐deletions occurred frequently but randomly in introns, and that intron length polymorphism was a valid marker for investigating the systematics of piranhas. EPIC‐PCR demonstrated that eight of the nine nominal species of piranha of the Upper Madeira were reproductively isolated and identified a new species that differed from its closest morphological and genetic relatives by seven diagnostic or semi‐diagnostic loci. By contrast, no diagnostic or semi‐diagnostic locus was found between S. spilopleura and S. eigenmanni , nor were their allelic frequencies different, thereby questioning the validity of their biological species status, at least in the Upper Madeira. This study, which was one of the first applications of EPIC‐PCR to a large‐scale molecular systematic purpose, demonstrates that it is a rapid, reliable and cost‐effective tool for elucidating issues pertaining to fish systematics.
Exceptional Genetic Differentiation at a Micro-geographic Scale in Apistogramma agassizii (Steindachner, 1875) from the Peruvian Amazon: Sympatric Speciation?
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2022) Guillain Estivals; Fabrice Duponchelle; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Uwe Römer; Cédric Mariac; Jean‐François Renno
Genetic structure in the Amazonian catfish Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii: influence of life history strategies
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2014) Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; Fabrice Duponchelle; Éric Desmarais; F. Cerqueira; Sophie Quérouil; J. N. Rodrìguez; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Jean‐François Renno
Induced breeding and larval rearing of Surubí, Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (Linnaeus, 1766), from the Bolivian Amazon
(Wiley, 2008) J. N. Rodrìguez; Remi Dugué; Navil Corcuy Arana; Fabrice Duponchelle; Jean‐François Renno; Thomas Raynaud; Nicolas Hubert; Marc Legendre
Brooders of Surubí (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) were caught in the Ichillo River (Bolivian Amazon) and adapted to captivity conditions for 1 year in the facilities of the experimental aquaculture station of ‘El Prado’ (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) under natural temperature and photoperiod conditions. Induced reproduction was obtained by means of Ovaprim® (Syndel, Canada) injections and artificial fertilization. Sperm and ova were obtained by gentle stripping of male and female brooders. Fertilized eggs were incubated in 60 L Zug jars. A mean hatching rate of 73.7±19.0% was obtained after 24 h at 26.5 °C. For larval rearing, several protocols were tested with different settings of photoperiod, light intensity, food type and period of distribution, and stocking density. The best survival rates were obtained with Artemia nauplii feeding in total darkness. A high level of aggressiveness between larvae and precocious appearance of jumpers was observed, but these can be controlled with appropriate rearing conditions.
Isolation by distance and Pleistocene expansion of the lowland populations of the white piranha Serrasalmus rhombeus
(Wiley, 2007) Nicolas Hubert; Fabrice Duponchelle; J. N. Rodrìguez; Rosario Rivera; François Bonhomme; Jean‐François Renno
The genetic variability and distribution of Amazonian fish species have likely been influenced by major disturbance events in recent geological times. Alternatively, the great diversity of aquatic habitat in the Amazon is likely to shape ongoing gene flow and genetic diversity. In this context, complex patterns of genetic structure originating from a joint influence of historical and contemporary gene flow are to be expected. We explored the relative influence of Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and current water chemistry on the genetic structure of a piranha, Serrasalmus rhombeus, in the Upper Amazon by the simultaneous analysis of intron length polymorphism and mitochondrial DNA sequences. The Madeira river is well suited for that purpose as it is characterized by a great diversity of water types, the presence of one of the largest floodplain of the Amazon and the potential occurrence of two Pleistocene refuges. We found evidence of genetic structure even at a small geographical scale (less than 10 km), indicating that the floodplain is not a homogenizing factor promoting interdrainage dispersal in S. rhombeus. Likewise, the hierarchical genetic structure inferred was correlated to geographical distance instead of habitat characteristic. Our results also support the hypothesis that the area underwent population expansion during the last 800,000 years. In addition, a higher level of genetic diversity was found in the samples from the putative Aripuanã refuge. The present findings suggest that Pleistocene refuges contributed significantly to the colonization of the lowlands in the Upper Amazon valley during the Pleistocene.
Life‐history characteristics of the large Amazonian migratory catfish Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii in the Iquitos region, Peru
(Wiley, 2009) Aurea Rosa GARCÍA-VÁSQUEZ; Juan Carlos Alonso; Fernando Carvajal-Ramírez; J. Moreau; J. N. Rodrìguez; Jean‐François Renno; S. Tello; V. Montreuil; Fabrice Duponchelle
The main life-history traits of the dorado Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii, a large Amazonian catfish undertaking the largest migration known for a freshwater fish species (from the nursery area in the estuary of the Amazon to the breeding zones in the head waters of the western Amazon basin close to the Andes), were determined from a 5 year sampling of >15,000 specimens in the Peruvian Amazon. The breeding season occurred during the falling and low-water periods, which is hypothesized to be an adaptation to maximize the chances of young stages to reach the estuary. The size at first sexual maturity was slightly larger for females than males, c. 91 and 83 cm standard length (L(S)), respectively. Both males and females reproduce for the first time at >3 years old. The fecundity per spawning event ranged from 481,734 to 1,045,284 oocytes for females weighing 25 and 34 kg, respectively. Seasonal variations of body condition were similar among sexes, but differed between immature specimens that had a higher condition during the low-water period and lower condition during rising waters, and mature individuals that showed the opposite pattern. The growth characteristics were estimated by L(S) frequency analysis. For females, the best fitting models gave a mean birth date in August, during the height of the breeding cycle, with the following von Bertalanffy growth function parameters: L(Sinfinity) = 153.3, K = 0.29 and t(0) =- 0.37 years. For males, the best fitting model gave a mean birth date in July, also during the height of the breeding period, with L(Sinfinity) = 142, K = 0.30 and t(0) =- 0.36 years. At a given age, females were systematically larger than males and the size difference increased with age. The largest females sampled (148 cm L(S)) was 11 years old and the largest male (134 cm L(S)) was 9 years old. The mortality estimates were higher for males total (Z) = 1.34, natural (M) = 0.52 and fishing (F) = 0.82 than for females (Z = 0.98, M = 0.50, F = 0.48). The life-history patterns of B. rousseauxii are discussed in light of the available knowledge about this species and the understanding of its complex life cycle.
Molecular identification of a cryptic species in the Amazonian predatory catfish genus Pseudoplatystoma (Bleeker, 1962) from Peru
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2013) Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Fabrice Duponchelle; Diana CASTRO-RUIZ; José Villacorta; Sophie Quérouil; Werner Chota-Macuyama; J. N. Rodrìguez; Uwe Römer; Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; Jean‐François Renno
Molecular phylogeny of the genus Pseudoplatystoma (Bleeker, 1862): Biogeographic and evolutionary implications
(Elsevier BV, 2008) J.P. Torrico; Nicolas Hubert; Érick Desmarais; Fabrice Duponchelle; J. N. Rodrìguez; Juan I. Montoya‐Burgos; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; Alejandro Grajales; François Bonhomme
Opinion Paper: how vulnerable are Amazonian freshwater fishes to ongoing climate change?
(Wiley, 2015) Thierry Oberdorff; Céline Jezequel; Melina Campero; Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; J. F. Cornu; Murilo S. Dias; Fabrice Duponchelle; Javier A. Maldonado‐Ocampo; Hernán Ortega; Jean‐François Renno
With around 15% of all described freshwater fish species in the world, the Amazon Basin is by far the most fish species-rich freshwater ecosystem on the planet. In this opinion paper, a rough evaluation is given on just how vulnerable Amazonian freshwater fishes are to ongoing climate change. And to argue that current anthropogenic threats through rapid expansion of human infrastructure and economic activities in the basin could be a far greater threat to fish communities than those anticipated by any future climate change. Conservation actions in the Amazon Basin should focus preferentially on reducing the impacts of present-day anthropogenic threats.
Phylogeography of Cichla (Cichlidae) in the upper Madera basin (Bolivian Amazon)
(Elsevier BV, 2006) Jean‐François Renno; Nicolas Hubert; J.P. Torrico; Fabrice Duponchelle; J. N. Rodrìguez; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Stuart C. Willis; Érick Desmarais
Phylogeography of the piranha genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus: implications for the diversification of the Neotropical ichthyofauna
(Wiley, 2007) Nicolas Hubert; Fabrice Duponchelle; J. N. Rodrìguez; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Didier Paugy; Jean‐François Renno
The phylogenetic relationships within the piranhas were assessed using mitochondrial sequences with the aim of testing several hypotheses proposed to explain the origin of Neotropical diversity (palaeogeography, hydrogeology and museum hypotheses). Sequences of the ribosomal 16S gene (510 bp) and control region (980 bp) were obtained from 15 localities throughout the main South American rivers for 21 of the 28 extant piranha species. The results indicate that the genus Serrasalmus is monophyletic and comprises three major clades. The phylogeographical analyses of these clades allowed the identification of five vicariant events, extensive dispersal and four lineage duplications suggesting the occurrence of sympatric speciation. Biogeographical patterns are consistent with the prediction made by the museum hypothesis that lineages from the Precambrian shields are older than those from the lowlands of the Amazon. The vicariant events inferred here match the distribution of the palaeoarches and several postdispersal speciation events are identified, thereby matching the predictions of the palaeogeography and hydrogeology hypotheses, respectively. Molecular clock calibration of the control region sequences indicates that the main lineages differentiated from their most recent common ancestor at 9 million years ago in the proto Amazon-Orinoco and the present rate of diversification is the highest reported to date for large carnivorous Characiformes. The present results emphasize that an interaction among geology, sea-level changes, and hydrography created opportunities for cladogenesis in the piranhas at different temporal and geographical scales.
Population genetic structure of Cichla pleiozona (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in the Upper Madera basin (Bolivian Amazon): Sex-biased dispersal?
(Elsevier BV, 2010) Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; Fabrice Duponchelle; J.P. Torrico Ballivian; Nicolas Hubert; J. N. Rodrìguez; Patrick Berrebi; S. Sirvas Cornejo; Jean‐François Renno
Review of Fisheries Resource Use and Status in the Madeira River Basin (Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru) Before Hydroelectric Dam Completion
(Taylor & Francis, 2018) Carolina Rodrigues da Costa Dória; Fabrice Duponchelle; Maria Alice L. Lima; Aurea Rosa GARCÍA-VÁSQUEZ; Fernando M. Carvajal‐Vallejos; Claudia Coca Méndez; M. F. Catarino; Carlos Edwar de Carvalho Freitas; Blanca Vega; Guido Miranda
The Madeira River, which drains one of the major tributary river basins of the upper Amazon, contributes to small-scale fisheries in Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. This paper provides a base-line of fisheries resources and their status in six sub-basins of the Madeira River: upper Madre de Dios River basin (Peru), Beni and Mamoré River basins (Bolivia), Iténez or Guaporé River basin (Bolivia and Brazil), middle Madeira, and (two sections of the) lower Madeira River (Brazil). Data were collected between 2009 and 2011, before the completion of two hydroelectric dams in the Brazilian portion of the basin. Biophysical, social, and biological indicators were used to characterize the fisheries. The results show an overall small-scale multispecies fisheries pattern but with notorious differences between the Madeira sub-basins. The Beni and Mamoré sub-basin shows the largest flooded area, with associated higher total fisheries yields. Trophic level of the catch, diversity, and mean weight of fish caught were shown to be very sensitive to exploitation level, river water type (white or clear water), flooded area, and the introduction of Arapaima gigas in Bolivia. The Bolivian fisheries are characterized by less exploited stocks, whereas stocks in Peru and Brazil show signs of intensive exploitation, resulting in fisheries of smaller bodied, lower trophic-level species. Landing data in the upper basin show a predominant reliance on migrating fish resources, which might be vulnerable to the construction of dams. These data serve as a baseline to evaluate anthropogenic impacts on the Madeira River basin fisheries in the future.
The Amazonian dwarf cichlid <scp>Apistogramma agassizii</scp> (Steindachner, 1875) is a geographic mosaic of potentially tens of species: Conservation implications
(Wiley, 2020) Guillain Estivals; Fabrice Duponchelle; Uwe Römer; Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA; Etienne Airola; Margot Deléglise; Jean‐François Renno
Abstract Assessing biodiversity and understanding how it works is a prerequisite for species conservation. The Amazon basin is one of the main biodiversity hotspots where fish are heavily exploited for ornamental purposes. The ornamental trade heavily exploits the genus Apistogramma , which is one of the most species‐rich among Neotropical cichlids with 94 formally described species. This number is certainly underestimated owing to the limitations of conventional taxonomy, which is still too often based solely on morphological criteria and sometimes on few individuals. Most species of this genus have a high degree of endemism and are highly prized on the ornamental market, which could put them at risk. A few species are supposed to have extensive distributions, and in particular Apistogramma agassizii , present from the Amazon estuary up to the Ucayali and Marañon rivers in Peru. This study assessed the taxonomic status of 1,151 specimens of A. agassizii collected from 35 sites around Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon. On the basis of molecular analyses (nuclear and mitochondrial DNA) and mate choice experiments, at least three biological species within the nominal A. agassizii were evidenced in the sampling area, which is extremely small compared with the known distribution of the species as initially described. According to the molecular calibrations, these three species would have diverged during the Plio‐Pleistocene. Two of them seem to be endemic from small sub‐basins, one from the Nanay River and the other from the Apayacu/Ampiyacu systems. A possible scenario that may explain the evolutionary history of these species is proposed. The conservation implications of these results on the estimation of the diversity of A. agassizii , of Apistogramma species in general, and of other Amazonian cichlids are discussed.