Arapaima

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Arapaima
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Family: Arapaimidae
Genus: Arapaima
J. P. Müller, 1843
Type species
Sudis gigas
Schinz, 1822
Synonyms
  • Sudis G. Cuvier, 1816 (preoccupied)
  • Vastres Valenciennes, 1847

The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche are several large species of bonytongue fish in the genus Arapaima.

They are native to the Amazon and Essequibo basins of South America. These fish are widely dispersed and do not migrate. This makes scientists think that there are more species of arapaima that scientists have not found yet. [1]

Species[change | change source]

  • Arapaima agassizii (Valenciennes, 1847) (Agassiz's arapaima)
  • Arapaima gigas (Schinz, 1822) (pirarucu, arapaima)
  • Arapaima leptosoma D. J. Stewart, 2013 (slender arapaima; Solimoes arapaima)
  • Arapaima mapae (Valenciennes, 1847) (Mapa arapaima)

Ecology[change | change source]

The diet of the arapaima consists of fish, crustaceans, fruits, seeds, insects, and small land animals that walk near the shore. Arapaima can leap out of the water if they feel harassed or bullied.

Gallery[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. Arantes, Caroline C., Leandro Castello, Mauricio Cetra, and Ana Schilling. "Environmental Influences on the Distribution of Arapaima in Amazon Floodplains." Environmental Biology of Fishes (2011): 1257-267. Print.

Other websites[change | change source]