When fruit falls from trees overhanging the rivers of the Pantanal, the local fish spring into action. The piraputanga (Brycon hilarii) in the center of the photo, which was taken in the Bonito region, is pictured snagging a wild fig. As part of the Peixes de Bonito (Bonito Fish) project, biologist José Sabino studies the role that these animals play in maintaining riparian forest ecosystems. By maintaining constant movement, these fish help disperse seeds along the river by eating at one point and defecating in another.
Image submitted by José Sabino, a professor at UNIDERP University
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