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Arapaima - Species in
Arapaimidae - - Classification -
- Arapaimidae
- Osteoglossiformes
- Teleostei
- Chordata
- Animalia
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Arapaima gigas
Picture by Lovshin, L.
Pictures | Videos | Stamps, coins, misc. | Google image
Picture by Lovshin, L.
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) > Osteoglossiformes (Bony tongues) > Arapaimidae (Bonytongues)
Etymology: Arapaima: From tupí-guaraní, arapaima (Ref. 45335).
Etymology: Arapaima: From tupí-guaraní, arapaima (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 6.0 - 6.5; dH range: 10 - ?. Tropical; 25°C - 29°C (Ref. 2060); 5°N - 11°S
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
South America: Amazon River basin. The active fishing of this fish has reduced both the population size, and occurrence of large individuals, especially around the populated regions of the Amazon (Ref. 50891).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 149.5, range 145 - 154 cm
Max length : 450 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6398); common length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 557); max. published weight: 200.0 kg (Ref. 557)
Max length : 450 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6398); common length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 557); max. published weight: 200.0 kg (Ref. 557)
Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Often referred to as the largest freshwater fish. Builds a nest of about 15 cm depth and 50 cm width in sandy bottoms. Spawns in April and May and guards the eggs and the young. Obligate air breather. The fish rises to the surface of the water and inspires air in a noisy, distinctive gulp, which is reported to carry for long distances (Ref. 50891). Migrates into higher floodplain habitats with rising water and moves back eventually to lacustrine habitats during low water level (Ref. 116898). Threatened due to over harvesting (Ref. 58490).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2003. Arapaimatidae (Bonytongues). p. 31. In R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil. (Ref. 50891)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 01 August 1996
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
FAO - Aquaculture systems: production; Fisheries: landings; Publication: search | FishSource |
More information
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Tools
Bio-Quiz | E-book | Field guide | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree
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Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
AFORO (otoliths) | Alien/Invasive Species database | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Aquaculture systems: production; Fisheries: landings; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | OsteoBase: skull, spine | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 0.5938 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01096 (0.00594 - 0.02026), b=2.94 (2.77 - 3.11), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.5 ±0.0 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 11.1 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 2 growth studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=4-6; Fec=47,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 29.9 [16.6, 81.3] mg/100g; Iron = 1.02 [0.53, 2.23] mg/100g; Protein = 16 [14, 18] %; Omega3 = 0.387 [0.140, 1.140] g/100g; Selenium = 140 [45, 346] μg/100g; VitaminA = 15.6 [3.9, 64.9] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.648 [0.415, 1.065] mg/100g (wet weight); based on nutrient studies.