Hydrolycus armatus
Adult in Berlin Aquarium, Germany
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Cynodontidae
Genus: Hydrolycus
Species:
H. armatus
Binomial name
Hydrolycus armatus
(Jardine, 1841)

Hydrolycus armatus is a species of dogtooth characin found in freshwater of tropical South America.[1] It is sometimes known as the payara,[2][3][4] a name it shares with the related H. scomberoides.

This predatory fish occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade, but it requires a very large tank.[2][5] In its native range it is considered a major gamefish.[4][5]

Distribution and habitat

This species of fish is found in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins in tropical South America.[1][6] They are found in several different freshwater habitats, but often in fast-flowing water.[4][7] They are typically found in deeper waters during the day.[7] The species is locally common; in a major study of a Venezuelan floodplain river, 1⁄3 of the collected fish were H. armatus, and the species was particularly common in creeks and lagoons.[8] At least some populations are migratory.[7]

Description

Hydrolycus armatus are overall silvery. In adults the base of the tail and anal fin is pale yellowish, and the distal part is blackish, contrasting with a narrow white edge at the very tip (unique among Hydrolycus species).[2][6][9]

A typically reported maximum total length of this fish is 89 cm (2.92 ft),[1] but records show specimens up to 95 cm (3.12 ft) in Venezuela[3] and more than 100 cm (3.3 ft) in Brazil.[4] It typically weighs up to 8.5 kg (19 lb),[1] but can reach almost 18 kg (40 lb).[4] It has frequently been confused with the generally smaller H. scomberoides.[2][6] H. armatus reaches maturity when at least 30 cm (1 ft) long.[7] Like other dogtooth characins, it has very long pointed canine teeth. In H. armatus these can surpass 5 cm (2 in) in length in large individuals.[3] These are used for spearing their prey, usually other fish.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2017). "Hydrolycus armatus" in FishBase. January 2017 version.
  2. 1 2 3 4 SeriouslyFish: Hydrolycus armatus. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 OPEFE: Payara Venezuela. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Payara—Hydrolycus armatus". Acute Angling. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  5. 1 2 Scott, B.M. (March 2007). "Taming the Untamable—Giant Payara!". TFH Magazine. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 Toledo-Piza, M.; N.A. Menezes; G.M. Santos (1999). "Revision of the Neotropical fish genus Hydrolycus (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Cynodontidae) with the description of two new species". Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters. 10 (3): 255–280.
  7. 1 2 3 4 van der Sleen, P.; J.S. Albert, eds. (2017). Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas. Princeton University Press. p. 155. ISBN 978-0691170749.
  8. ↑ Layman, C.A..; K.O. Winemiller (2005). "Patterns of habitat segregation among large fishes in a Venezuelan floodplain river". Neotrop. Ichthyol. 3 (1): 111–117. doi:10.1590/S1679-62252005000100007.
  9. 1 2 "Subfamily Cynodontinae". OPEFE. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
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