Arapaima
Arapaima | |
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Beijing Aquarium
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Osteoglossiformes |
Family: | Osteoglossidae |
Subfamily: | Arapaiminae |
Genus: | Arapaima J. P. Müller, 1843 |
Type species | |
Sudis gigas Schinz, 1822
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Species | |
4-5, see text | |
Synonyms | |
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The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is any large species of
Arapaima was traditionally regarded as a
Taxonomy
FishBase recognizes four species in the genus.[2] In addition to these, evidence suggests that a fifth species, A. arapaima, should be recognized (this being the widespread, well-known species, otherwise included in A. gigas).[7][8][9][11][12]
- 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)
These fish are widely dispersed and do not migrate, which leads scientists to suppose that more species are waiting to be discovered in the depths of the Amazon Basin harbors. Sites such as these offer the likelihood of diversity.[13]
Morphology
Arapaima can reach lengths more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in), in some exceptional cases even exceeding 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) and over 100 kg (220 lb). The maximum recorded weight for the species is 200 kg (440 lb), while the longest recorded length verified was 3.07 m (10 ft 1 in). Anecdotal reports suggest that specimens as long as 4.57 m (15 ft 0 in) exist, but verification is deemed impossible, and thus considered questionable. As a result of overfishing, arapaima more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) are seldom found in the wild.[citation needed]
The arapaima is
Arapaima scales have a mineralised, hard, outer layer with a corrugated surface under which lie several layers of
Ecology
The diet of the arapaima consists of fish,
Arapaima may leap out of the water if they feel constrained by their environment or harassed.
Life history/behavior
Reproduction
Due to its geographic
Breeding
The arapaima male is a mouthbrooder, like the related Osteoglossum genus, meaning the young are protected in his mouth until they are older. The female arapaima helps to protect the male and the young by circling them and fending off potential predators.
In his book, Three Singles to Adventure, naturalist Gerald Durrell reported that in British Guyana, female arapaima had been seen secreting a white substance from a gland in the head, and that their young were seemingly feeding on the substance.
Evolution
Some 23-million-year-old
Relation to humans
Arapaima is exploited in many ways by local human populations.
Its
Arapaima produce boneless steaks and are considered a delicacy. In the Amazon region, locals often salt and dry the meat, rolling it into a cigar-style package that is then tied and can be stored without rotting, which is important in a region with little refrigeration. Arapaima are referred to as the "cod of the Amazon", and can be prepared in the same way as traditional salted cod.
Designers have begun using the skin of the arapaima as leather to make jackets, shoes, and handbags, and to cover furniture.[23][24]
In July 2009, villagers around Kenyir Lake in Terengganu, Malaysia, reported sighting A. gigas. The "Kenyir monster", or "dragon fish" as the locals call it, was claimed to be responsible for the mysterious drowning of two men on 17 June.[25]
In August 2018,
Fishing
Wild arapaima are harpooned or caught in large nets. Since the arapaima needs to surface to breathe air, traditional arapaima fishermen harpoon them and then club them to death. An individual fish can yield as much as 70 kg (150 lb) of meat.
The arapaima was introduced for fishing in Thailand and Malaysia. Fishing in Thailand can be done in several lakes, where specimens over 150 kg (330 lb) are often landed and then released.
On 14 May 2020, a 30 kg specimen was found floating in the river in Angkor Wat area, Krovanh village, Sangkat Norkor Thom, Siem Reap.[where?] The locals said it was a rare fish, and not commonly seen in this area.
With catch-and-release after the fish is landed, it must be held for 5 minutes until it takes a breath. The fish has a large blood vessel running down its spine, so lifting the fish clear of the water for trophy shots can rupture this vessel, causing death.
Aquaculture
In 2013,
In Thailand, the only legal breeding farm is located in Tambon Phrong Maduea,
Conservation
Arapaima are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because of their size and because they must surface periodically to breathe. Some 7000 tons per year were taken from 1918 to 1924, the height of commercial arapaima fishing; demand led to farming of the fish by native
Colombia only bans fishing and consumption of the arapaima between October 1 and March 15, during breeding season.[34]
Gallery
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Arapaima at the Shedd Aquarium
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Arapaima at the Manila Ocean Park
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Arapaima at the Cologne Zoological Garden
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Arapaima leptosoma at the zoo (sea aquarium) in Sevastopol
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Arapaima depicted on a 1954 postage stamp of British Guiana
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Specimen at a 2002 exhibition at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
References
- S2CID 92396368.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). Species of Arapaima in FishBase. August 2013 version.
- ^ a b c Castello, L.; and Stewart, D.J (2008). Assessing CITES non-detriment findings procedures for Arapaima in Brazil. NDF Workshop case studies (Mexico 2008), WG 8 – Fishes, Case study 1
- ^ Miranda-Chumacero, G.; Wallace, R.; Calderón, H.; Calderón, G.; Willink, P.; Guerrero, M.; Siles, T.M.; Lara, K.; and Chuqui, D. (2012). Distribution of arapaima (Arapaima gigas) (Pisces: Arapaimatidae) in Bolivia: implications in the control and management of a non-native population. BioInvasions Records 1(2): 129–138
- CABD 20210033477.
- ^ "Arapaima". Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
- ^ Copeia, 2013 (3): 470-476.
- ^ a b c d Stewart, D. J. (2013). Redescription of Arapaima agassizii (Valenciennes), a rare fish from Brazil (Osteoglossomorpha, Osteoglossidae). Copeia, 2013: 38-51
- ^ a b Dawes, J: Arapaima Re-classification and the Trade. Archived December 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 May 2014
- ^ Howard, B.C. (13 October 2013). New Species of Giant Air-Breathing Fish: Freshwater Species of the Week. National Geographic. Retrieved 24 May 2014
- ^ Clarke, M. (15 January 2010).Two Arapaima species, not one. Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine Practicalfishkeeping. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ "Osteoglossidae" (PDF). Deeplyfish- fishes of the world. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
- ^ S2CID 9980805.
- PMID 27816416.
- ^ "Engineers Find Inspiration for New Materials in Piranha-proof Armor". Jacobs School of Engineering, UC San Diego. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
- PMID 26144973.
- ^ "Arapaima videos, photos and facts - Arapaima gigas - ARKive". arkive.org. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ "Arapaima". 25 April 2016.
- ^ Ferraris, C.J. (2003). "Family Arapaimatidae". In Reis, R.E.; Kullander, S.O.; Ferraris, C.J. (eds.). Check List of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre, Brazil: EDIPUCRS. pp. 582–588.
- ^ "Fish Warrior: Amazon Giant." http://natgeotv.com/. National Geographic. Web. <[1]>.
- JSTOR 2388468.
- ^ "Forgotten species: The arapaima or 'dinosaur fish'". 15 July 2013.
- ^ "Fish leather". leather-dictionary.com. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ Hitti, Natashah (15 November 2018). "Oskar Metsavaht makes sustainable fashion garments from Amazonian fish skin". Dezeen. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "Archives". thestar.com.my.
- ^ "Predatory Fish Like Arapaima, Red Belly Piranha And Alligator Gar Spotted After Kerala Floods". indiatimes.com. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ Kumar, A. Biju (15 November 2018). "Jurassic invaders: flood-associated occurrence of arapaima and alligator gar in the rivers of Kerala" (PDF). Current Science. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Saving an Endangered Fish by Eating More of It - BusinessWeek Education Resource Center". resourcecenter.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- ^ ศิริสัมพันธ์, ธาวิดา (7 April 2018). "ศิริวรรณ อะราไพม่า ฟาร์มนครปฐม เพาะเลี้ยงปลาช่อนอะเมซอนส่งขายทั่วโลก ได้เพียงที่เดียวในประเทศ". Technology Chaoban Magazine (in Thai).
- ^ River Monsters episode name: "Unhooked", Animal Planet, 16 July 2010 10AM PDT.
- doi:10.1002/aqc.2491.
- ^ Gough, Z. (13 August 2014). "Giant Amazon fish 'locally extinct' due to overfishing". BC Nature. BBC. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ISBN 978-85-88758-77-3. Retrieved 5 May 2020.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "Vedas". ica.gov.co. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
Further reading
- "The Paiche Hunter" – New Worlder
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2009). "Arapaima gigas" in FishBase. 01 2009 version.
- Condé Nast Publications
- National Geographic News "Search Is on for World's Biggest Freshwater Fish"