Patrones de desplazamiento de peces nativos en el Río San Pedro (cuenca del Río Valdivia, Chile)/Movement patterns of the native fish fauna of the San Pedro River (Valdivia River Basin, Chile)

The Chilean native fish are characterized for having small sizes (< 30 cm). Due to this, they are generally described with a low swimming capacity and movement; nevertheless, there is no empirical study to show it. In this study we describe the movement patterns of six native species in the San Pedro River (Aplochiton taeniatus, Galaxias maculatus, Galaxias platei, Diplomystes camposensis, Basilichthys australis y Percilia gillissi) by using marking-recapture techniques with elastomeric inks and Pit tags. Our results suggest that most of the species show passive movements, crossing distances up to about 40 km in the flow direction. Movements between river banks were also frequent, even in zones of high turbulence of the river. Active movements upstream were note clear, but the analysis of the results altogether with information of the genetic structure, abundances and distribution of the species in the watershed, allows us to conclude that the movement patterns of all species studied are relevant for the maintenance of their metapopulation dynamics. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]