User:ChaseTerry548440/Rapids

Rapids Biodiversity is an important concept because many species inhabit rapids. Rapids Provide a particular habitat to organisms that inhabit them. The increased velocity of water and turbulent features have allowed many species of fish and macroinvertebrates to find a niche in rapids. Common, but not all, orders presented in river rapids for fish tend to hail from Characiformes and Siluriformes. These species are present in a variety of different rapids across the world. The fish family Serrasalimidae, from the order Characiformes, is present in the Xingu River basin with identification of the Sailfin Red Hook Silver Dollar (Myleus setiger), the Parrot Pacu (Ossubtus xinguense), and Tometes kranponhah being present. Other fish families such as Loricariidae, Anostomidae, and Cichlidae were also present in the Xingu River. Similarly in the Araguaia River and Peixe River in Brazil, there was an abundance of species from the order Characiformes and cichlids from the order Cichliformes. Where as the Madeira River in Brazil as majority of the species identified came from the order Characiformes and Siluriformes and a new species, Hyphessobrycon rheophilus, from the order Characiformes has also been discovered. The Teles Pires River in Brazil houses the order Characiformes and species such as Payara (Hydrolycus armatus), the Bicuda (Boulengerella cuvieri), and the Paco Branco (Myloplus torquatus), and houses the order Siluriformes with species such as Driftwood catfish (Ageneiosus apiaka) and other species which include  the Granulated catfish (Pterodoras granulosus) which comes from the order catfish and the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) from the order Gymnotiformes. Species present in the Luongo river, Africa, were Barbus puellus from the order Barbus, Kneria paucisquamata from the order Kneria, and two species from the order Siluriformes - the Mountain barbel (Amphilius platychir) and the Blotched catfish (Clarias submarginatus). The Úpoř brook located in Berounka River in the Czech Republic houses Bullheads (Cottus gobio) which are mainly associated with the rapids, other species such as brown trout (Salmo trutta), chubs (Leuciscus cephalus), and stone loaches (Barbatula barbatula).

Body proportions of the organisms found in rapids are usually different from species that are present in other bodies of water. Species from Characiformes that are present in river rapids seem to be characterized by smaller heads and mouth regions and wide fusiform bodies which would be advantageous for fish species swimming in rapids. Species from the order Siluriformes are characterized by large middle fins used to stabilize their bodies, along with dorsoventral flattening and the addition of paired fins provide adaptations used for fixing themselves in sediment. Other Siluriformes species show characteristics of a compressed body and large anal fins used to aid in maneuverability.

Macroinvertebrates are also found in river rapids. The Cunene River is home to many macroinvertebrates from a plethora of orders including Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Trichoptera (caddisflies), Diptera (Chironomidae), Coleoptera, Plecoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera, Neuroptera and Lepidoptera. Other macroinvertebrates that were found are as follows, Porifera (Sponges), Annelida (Segmented worms), Mollusca (Snails and mussels), and Crustacea (Crabs). Many of these species are dependent on the rapids for an assortment of things such as nutrient gathering and spawning. Similarly in Europe, Dnieper River, we can see macroinvertebrates from the orders Amphipoda, Mysida, and Veneroida.

Fish species in rapids are facing a major dilemma because of increase pollution and damming of the rivers they are presented in.