Collection Methods
The yield of species depends on collection methods and thoroughness of habitat sampling. Expeditions typically utilize a multi-gear approach to collecting with standard methods known to be effective for fishes: seine, gill, hand, cast and trawl nets, traps, hand and trot lines, and methods used by local fishers. Electrofishing gear and chemicals such as rotenone may be used in some areas where they are legal, effective, and will not cause local concern or environmental damage.
In all collections made by the PIs, specimens will be euthanized using MS-222 (100 ppm), photographed, tissues removed for DNA studies, and fixed using 10% formalin according to guidelines of the American Society of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists. Later, specimens will be preserved in 70% ethanol for permanent storage in established institutional collections. Representative specimens are cleared and stained as time permits. All field localities should be georeferenced. At least basic information on ecological and natural history characteristics of fishes should be recorded. Data to be recorded include size of the stream, flow characteristics, substratum, surrounding land use, evidence of reproduction, notable behavior, other species collected/observed at the site, collecting methods and time. Distributional and relative abundance data are often available from records of total numbers of species and individuals collected at a site and information on collecting methods. Because we are after all species of cypriniforms, our ‘Stop Rule’ is to collect at each locality until no additional species of cypriniforms are encountered. Field notes, photos and movies of fishes and habitats are made available on CC.
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