Hydrolycus armatus
| Hydrolycus armatus | |
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Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Cynodontidae |
| Genus: | Hydrolycus |
| Species: | H. armatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Hydrolycus armatus (Jardine, 1841) |
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Hydrolycus armatus is a species of dogtooth characin found in freshwater of tropical South America. It is sometimes known as the payara, 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.
This species of fish is found in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins as well a rivers in Guyana.
A typically reported maximum size of this fish is 8.5 kg (19 lb) in weight and 75 cm (2.46 ft) in length, but records from Venezuela show specimens up to 95 cm (3.12 ft). It has frequently been confused with the generally smaller H. scomberoides. Like other dogtooth characins, H. armatus has very long pointed canine teeth that can surpass 5 cm (2.0 in) in length in large individuals. These are used for spearing their prey, usually other fish.
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Wikipedia