Caught 3m long “Arapaima” Terminator In The Basin of Amazon:
Arapaima : The “terminator” fish of the Amazon. The length of its body sometimes reaches 3m and its weight exceeds 2 quintals. This water predator has long attracted the attention of scientists, since these dimensions are not peculiar to freshwater fish. Therefore, in recent years, many attempts have been made to find out all the features of Arapaima’s life.
For the first time Arapaima was seen by European scientists at the beginning of the 19th century. Then we have it described as a “terminator” that lives in the Basin of the Amazon River. Recently, however, scientists were able to fully trace all the features of this fish. It turns out that arapaima – a guest from the distant past, or rather, a fossil species. This is what pushed the scientists’ conclusion to its morphology, which is very different from what we are accustomed to today.
Let’s start with the fact that Arapaima is a lungfish. This means that it can use ambient air as the principal oxygen source. Recall that many fish are deprived of such opportunities, making our hunter even more unique. In addition, her “light” is not like that, it would have died a long time ago. After all, with its enormous size, the dirty waters of the Amazon simply could not provide the fish with the necessary amount of oxygen.
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Features of Arapaima :
The main feature of this fish is its size. On average, adults reach 2 m in length, but several cases are known when fishermen caught much larger representatives of this species. So, to this day the record is kept by Arpaima, whose length reaches a mark of 4.5 meters. The weight of an adult fish varies from 180-220 kg.
If we talk about appearance, Arapaima is a fish with a long body, slightly compressed on the sides. Its size though much larger, is more like a pike. The dorsal and anal fins are located on the back of the fish, forming some kind of whole tail. Another important feature is its large scale. Together they form a clear mesh pattern, which is visible even in murky water.
As for the complexion, nature endowed Arapaima with a light olive shade. In addition, in the light of its scales shimmer copper, and sometimes even red tones. This is especially evident near the belly and tail of a fish. But it also happens that the entire body of the predator is covered with red paint. That is why the Indians called the fish “pirarucu”, which means “red fish”.
Meal of Arapaima :
“Arapaima” predatory fish. At the same time, looking at its size, you can easily guess that almost any inhabitant of the Amazon River can become a victim. It primarily preys on other fish and invertebrates, which are rich in protein. Also Arapaima does not hesitate to eat carrion, and that piranha did not manage to destroy.
Furthermore, despite the enormous proportions pirarucu capable of developing speed by a serious in its pursuit of prey. But most scientists believe that the arapayma can jump out of the water and grab heavy prey by striking. For example, it is able to catch birds or jump lizards quietly sitting on a branch.
Read more about other sources : Indian Scientists: From Ancient to Modern Era
