The giant arapaima is one of the largest and least studied fish in the world. Those descriptions of fish that are found in the literature are borrowed mainly from the unreliable stories of travelers.

It is even strange how little has been done so far to deepen our knowledge of the biology and behavior of the arapaima. For years, it was mercilessly fished both in the Peruvian and Brazilian parts of the Amazon, and in its many tributaries. At the same time, no one cared about studying it and did not think about preserving it. The schools of fish seemed inexhaustible. And only when the number of fish began to noticeably decrease, there was interest in it.

Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Representatives of this species live in the Amazon basin in Brazil, Guyana and Peru. Adults reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 200 kg. The uniqueness of arapaima is the ability to breathe air. Due to its archaic morphology, the fish is considered a living fossil. In Brazil, fishing is only allowed once a year. Initially, the fish was harvested with harpoons when it rose to breathe on the surface.

Today it is caught mainly with nets. Let's take a closer look at this ..

Photo 2.

Photo: View of the Amazon River from the window of the Cessna 208 amphibious aircraft that flew photographer Bruno Kelly from Manaus to the village of Medio Jurua, Carahuari municipality, Amazonas, Brazil, September 3, 2012.
REUTERS / Bruno Kelly

In Brazil, giant fish were settled in ponds in the hope that they would take root there. In eastern Peru, in the jungles of the province of Loreto, certain areas of rivers and a number of lakes have been left as a reserve fund. It is allowed to fish here only under the license of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Arapaima is found throughout the Amazon basin. To the east, it occurs in two areas separated by the black and acidic waters of the Rio Negro. In Rio Negro, arapaima is not found, but the river, apparently, is not an insurmountable barrier for fish. Otherwise, one would have to assume the existence of two species of fish, which have different origins and live north and south of this river.

The western region of the distribution of arapaima is probably Rio Moro-na, to the east of it Rio Pastasa and Lake Rimachi, where a huge number of fish are found. It is the second protected reservoir in Peru for breeding and observation of arapaima.

An adult arapaima is painted very picturesquely: its back color changes from bluish-black to metallic green, belly - from cream to greenish-white, sides and tail are silvery-gray. Each of its huge scales shimmers with all sorts of shades of red (in Brazil, the fish is called piraruku, which means red fish).

Photo 3.

Swaying in time with the movements of the fishermen, a small canoe floated along the mirror-like surface of the Amazon. Suddenly the water at the bow of the boat began to swirl in a whirlpool, the mouth of a giant fish stuck out, exhaling air with a whistle. The fishermen looked dumbfounded at the monster, two human height, covered with a scaly shell. And the giant splashed a blood-red tail - and disappeared into the depths ...

Tell such a Russian fisherman, he will immediately be laughed at. Who is not familiar with fishing tales: either a giant fish will fall off the hook, or a local Nessie will be seen. But on the Amazon, meeting a giant is a reality.

Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish. There were specimens 4.5 m long! Now you will not find such people. Since 1978, the record of the Rio Negro River (Brazil) has been held, where arapaima was caught with a data of 2.48 m - 147 kg (the price of a kilogram of tender and tasty meat, almost without bones, far exceeds the monthly income of Amazonian fishermen. can be seen in antique shops).

Photo 4.

This strange creature looks like a representative of the dinosaur era. Yes, it is so: a living fossil has not changed in 135 million years. Tropical Goliath has adapted to the swampy swamps of the Amazon basin: the bubble attached to the esophagus acts as a lung, arapaima protrudes from the water every 10-15 minutes. She kind of "patrols" the Amazon basin, captures small fish in her mouth and grinds them with a bony, rough tongue (the locals use it as sandpaper).

Photo 5.

These giants live in the freshwater bodies of South America, in particular in the eastern and western parts of the Amazon basin (in the Rio Moron, Rio Pastasa and Lake Rimachi rivers). A huge amount of arapaima is found in these places. In the Amazon itself, there are not so many of these fish, tk. she prefers quiet streams with a weak current and a lot of vegetation. A body of water with rugged banks and a large number of floating plants is an ideal place for her to live and exist.

Photo 6.

According to local residents, this fish can reach 4 meters in length and weigh about 200 kilograms. But arapaima is a valuable commercial fish, so now such huge specimens are practically not found in nature. Nowadays, specimens of no more than 2-2.5 meters are most often found. Still, giants can be found, for example, in special aquariums or reserves.

Photo 7.

Previously, arapaima was caught in large quantities and did not think about its population. Now, when the stocks of these fish have significantly decreased, in some countries of South America, for example in eastern Peru, areas of rivers and lakes have been identified, which are strictly protected and fishing in these places is allowed only under the license of the Ministry of Agriculture. And even then in limited quantities.

Photo 8.

An adult can reach 3-4 meters. The powerful body of the fish is covered with large scales that shimmer in various shades of red. This is especially noticeable in its tail part. For this, the locals gave the fish another name - piraruku, which translates as "red fish". The fish themselves are of different colors - from "metallic green" to bluish-black.

Photo 9.

Her respiratory system is quite unusual. The fish's pharynx and swim bladder are covered with lung tissue, which allows the fish to breathe normal air. This adaptation has developed due to the low oxygen content in the waters of these freshwater rivers. Thanks to this, arapaima can easily survive drought.

Photo 10.

The manner of breathing of this fish cannot be confused with anyone. When they rise to the surface for a breath of fresh air, small eddies begin to form on the water surface, and then the fish itself appears in this place with a huge open mouth. All this action lasts just a couple of seconds. It lets out the "old" air and takes a new sip, the mouth closes abruptly and the fish goes to the depths. Adults breathe like this every 10-15 minutes, young ones - a little more often.

Photo 11.

On the head of these fish there are special glands that secrete special mucus. But what it is for, you will find out a little later.

Photo 12.

These giants feed on bottom fish, sometimes they can eat small animals, such as birds. In juveniles, the main dish is freshwater shrimp.

Photo 13.

The breeding season for Piraruku is in November. But they begin to create pairs already in August-September. These giants are very caring parents, especially males. Here I immediately remembered how the male "sea dragons" take care of their offspring. These fish do not lag behind them. The male digs a shallow hole about 50 centimeters in diameter near the coast. The female lays eggs in it. Then, throughout the entire period of development and maturation of eggs, the male is next to the clutch. He guards eggs and swims near the "nest", while females drive away fish swimming nearby.

Photo 14.

After a week, fry are born. The male is still next to them. Or maybe they are with him? Young animals keep in a dense flock near his head, and even to breathe they rise together. But how does a male manage to discipline his kids like that? There is a secret. Remember, I mentioned about special glands on the head of adults. So, the mucus secreted by these glands contains a stable substance that lures the fry. This is what makes them stick together. But after 2.5-3 months, when the young grows up a little, these flocks disintegrate. The bond between parents and children is weakening.

Photo 38.

Once the meat of these monsters was the staple food of the peoples of the Amazon. Since the late 1960s, in many rivers, arapaimas have disappeared altogether: after all, only large fish were killed with a harpoon, while nets also allowed catching babies. The government has banned the sale of arapaime less than one and a half meters long, but the taste, which only trout and salmon can rival, pushes people to break the law. It is promising to breed arapaim in artificial pools with heated water: they grow as much as five times faster than carp!

Photo 15.

However, here is the opinion of K. X. Lüling:

The literature of past years greatly exaggerates the size of the arapaima. To some extent, these exaggerations began with the descriptions of R. Shom-burk in the book "The Fish of British Guiana", written after a trip to Guiana in 1836. Shom-burk writes that fish can be 14 feet (ft = 0.305 meters) in length and weigh up to 400 pounds (pounds = 0.454 kilograms). However, this information was obtained by the author from the second hand - from the words of the local population - he personally did not have evidence to confirm such data. In a well-known book on the fish of the world, McCormick questions the veracity of these stories. After analyzing all the available and more or less reliable information, he concludes that the arapaim species never exceed 9 feet in length - a solid enough size for freshwater fish.

From my own experience, I was convinced of the correctness of McCormick. The animals we caught in Rio Pacai averaged 6 feet in length. The largest fish was a female 7 feet long and weighing 300 pounds. Obviously, the illustration from the old editions of Brem's Life of Animals, depicting an Indian sitting on the back of a pyraruku, 12 to 15 feet long, should be considered sheer fantasy.

The distribution of arapaima in certain areas of the river depends, apparently, more on the vegetation growing there than on the nature of the water itself. Fish requires a heavily indented coast with a wide strip of coastal floating plants, which, intertwining, form floating meadows.

For this reason alone, fast-flowing rivers like the Amazon are not suitable for the existence of arapaima. The bottom of the Amazon always remains smooth and uniform, so there are few floating plants, the same ones that are, usually entangled among shrubs and hanging branches.

On Rio Pakai, we found arapaim in backwaters, where, in addition to floating meadows of aquatic grasses, floating mimosas and hyacinths grew. Elsewhere, these species may have been replaced by floating ferns, victoria region, and some others. The giant fish is invisible between the plants.

Perhaps not surprisingly, arapaimas prefer to breathe air rather than oxygen from the swampy waters in which they live.

Photo 16.

The manner of inhaling air in arapaima is very characteristic. When a large fish approaches the surface, a whirlpool first forms on the water surface. Then the fish itself suddenly appears with its mouth open. It quickly releases air with a clicking sound, inhales fresh air and immediately plunges into the depths.

By the whirlpool formed on the surface of the water, fishermen hunting for arapaima determine where to throw the harpoon. They throw their heavy weapon right into the middle of the whirlpool and in most cases miss the target. But the fact is that the giant fish often lives in small reservoirs, 60-140 meters long, and eddies are constantly formed here, and therefore, the likelihood of the harpoon getting into the animal increases. Adults appear on the surface every 10-15 minutes, young ones more often.

Having reached a certain size, arapaima goes to the fish table, specializing mainly in bottom shell fish. In the stomachs of arapaime, the spiky needles of the pectoral fins of these fish are most often found.

In Rio Pakai, the living conditions for arapaim are obviously the most favorable. The fish that live here reach maturity within four to five years. By this time they have reached about six feet in length and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. It is believed (although not proven) that some, and possibly all, adults reproduce twice a year.

Once I was lucky enough to watch a pair of arapaimas preparing for spawning. Everything happened in the clear and still waters of the quiet bay of Rio Pakai. The behavior of arapaimas during spawning and their further care for the offspring is a truly amazing sight.

Photo 17.

In all likelihood, the fish dig out the spawning hole in the soft clay bottom with their mouths. In the quiet bay where we were observing, the fish chose a spawning site just five feet below the surface. For several days, the male was within this place, and the female stayed 10-15 meters from him almost all the time.

The young growth, having hatched from the eggs, remains in the burrow for about seven days. A male is constantly next to them, either circling over the hole, or perching on the side. After that, the fry rise to the surface, relentlessly following the male and keeping in a dense flock near his head. Under the supervision of the father, the whole flock at once floats to the surface to inhale the air-Spirit.

At the age of seven to eight days, the fry begin to feed on plankton. Observing the fish through the still waters of our quiet bay, we did not notice that the fish were raising young growth, that is, they would take the fish in their mouths at the moment of danger. There was also no indication that the larvae were feeding on the substance released from the plate-like grips located on the heads of the parents. The local population makes a clear mistake in assuming that the young are feeding on their parent's "milk".

In November 1959, I was able to count 11 schools of juvenile fish in a lake of about 160 acres (an acre is about 0.4 hectares). They swam close to the shore and parallel to it. The flocks seemed to be avoiding the wind. This is probably due to the fact that the waves generated by the wind make it difficult to inhale air from the surface of the water.

We decided to see what would happen to the school of fish if she suddenly lost her parents, and caught them. The orphaned fish, having lost contact with their parents, thereby obviously lost contact with each other. The tight flock began to disintegrate and eventually dispersed. After a while, we noticed that juveniles in other flocks were significantly different from each other in their size. Such a large contrast could hardly be explained by the fact that the same generation of fish developed differently. Apparently, other arapaims adopted the orphans. Expanding the swimming circle after the death of their parents, the orphaned fish spontaneously mixed with neighboring groups.

Photo 18.

On the head of the arapaima there are glands of a very interesting structure. On the outside, they have a series of small, tongue-like protrusions, at the ends of which, with the help of a magnifying glass, you can distinguish the smallest holes. Through these holes, mucus formed in the glands is released.

The secretion of these glands is not used as food, although this would seem to be the simplest and most obvious explanation for its purpose. It performs much more important functions. Here's an example. When we pulled the male out of the water, the flock accompanying him remained for a long time in the very place from which he disappeared. And one more: a flock of juveniles gathers around a gauze pad, previously soaked in the male's secretions. From both examples, it follows that the male secretes a relatively stable substance that keeps the whole group together.

At the age of two and a half - three and a half months, flocks of young animals begin to disintegrate. By this time, the bond between parents and children is weakening.

Photo 19.

Residents of the village of Medio Jurua display a gutted pyraruca on Lake Manaria, Carauari municipality, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 3, 2012. Piraruku is the largest freshwater fish in South America.
REUTERS / Bruno Kelly

Photo 20.

Photo 21.

Black caiman

The largest individuals of this alligator reach 6 m in length. They have the reaction of a mongoose and the strength of a tiger. The most dangerous predators of the Amazon, who will tear to shreds anyone who falls into their huge mouths.

Anaconda

Another huge predator that lives in local waters is the anaconda. It is the largest snake in the world, weighing up to 250 kg. Anacondas reach 9 m in length and 30 cm in diameter. If such a snake wraps around a person, he will no longer be saved. These monsters love shallow water, so they spend most of their time in the tributaries of the river.

Arapaima

These giants have armored scales, so they don't even care about piranhas. Arapaim mainly hunt for smaller fish and birds, but sometimes they also attack humans. The fish grow up to 3m in length and weigh up to 90 kg. The monsters are so ferocious that their teeth are even on the tongue.

Brazilian otter

Even the otters are gigantic here. These 2 meter animals hunt fish and crabs. However, strength is in numbers: huddling in flocks, they kill adult anacondas and even caimans.

Vandella vulgaris (Brazilian vampire)

Bull sharks

These cute little animals most often live in salty ocean water. Unfortunately, sometimes they swim into fresh waters and terrify the locals. Their jaws provide a bite force of 589 kg. After meeting with them, usually no one survives.

Electric eels

Two-meter eels can hit the victim with a charge with a voltage of up to 600 volts. And this is almost 3 times more than in the outlet. This seems to be a killer tension, but it is not. It is not the discharge that kills. The victim simply stops breathing from painful shock, and he drowns in water.

Piranhas Ordinary

These little critters are often featured in Hollywood horror films. And it’s not without reason that they won the fame of ruthless killers. Sharp teeth of these fish close and tear the flesh to shreds. It is noteworthy that piranhas are scavengers. But they also do not disdain fresh meat.

Mackerel Hydrolic

These underwater bloodsuckers have truly vampire fangs located on the lower jaw of the hydrolics. The victim sits on them as if on a stake, and can no longer escape anywhere. There are special holes in the sky of the hydrolics to hide such long fangs.

Brown pacu

These fish with human smiles are relatives of the piranhas mentioned earlier. Although pacu prefer fruits and nuts, there are also cases of attacks on people.

It is one of the natural wonders of our planet. In terms of world fame, the river competes with the Indian Ganges and with the Egyptian Nile. The unique ecosystem of the longest waterway on earth (more than 7 thousand km from the source) attracts lovers of exoticism, the brightness of tropical flora and fauna, and ordinary tourists - lovers of natural beauty. The vast expanses of the Amazon, surprising with the richness of flora and fauna, are home to about 1.5 million of the most diverse species of plants and animals, this corner of the planet can be called without exaggeration the world's genetic fund. According to scientists, there are more than 1800 species of birds, 250 species of various mammals, about 2 thousand different species of fish and countless numbers of all kinds of invertebrates and insects per 10 km² of tropical forest (many of their species are still unknown to the scientific world).

The Amazon basin, which contains the 10 longest rivers in the world, together with all tributaries, occupies about 40% of the territory.

In essence, these are wet jungles and swamps stretching along the equator, so the climatic conditions throughout the lowland are practically the same. The Amazon basin is distinguished by the most extensive humid tropical evergreen forest on Earth, the climate of which is hot and humid, the air temperature throughout the year is stable, it constantly keeps + 25-28 ° C, even at night it almost never drops below + 20 ° C.

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Fauna

Many rare species of animals are found in tropical forests, and some of them are on the verge of extinction. Among these animals, the baker, arachnid monkey, sloth, armadillo, caiman freshwater dolphin, crocodile, boa should be mentioned.

Near the shores of the Amazon, there is a tapir, an excellent swimmer, although his body weight can reach 200 kg. Tapir most often moves along paths near the river, it feeds on algae, as well as leaves, twigs and fruits of coastal plants.

Near the rivers, you can often find the world's largest rodent - the capybara, whose weight reaches up to 50 kg, and outwardly the animal resembles a guinea pig. Anacondas (the species of the largest snakes from the subfamily of boas), which also hunt in the water, are not in vain called water boas. Anaconda can even strangle a caiman (Spanish Cayman, a genus of reptiles of the alligator family).

One of the very dangerous inhabitants of the jungle, and at the same time, a water-loving representative of the feline family, is the jaguar, which is called "d'iaguar" ("Like us").

The incredible number of birds living in the river basin is staggering, nowhere else in the world can you find such a number and species diversity of birds. Most birds feed on insects, which in turn feed on plants. Plants, trying to protect themselves from gluttonous insects, produce various potent, most often poisonous substances, most of which have medicinal qualities. Therefore, the jungle can be safely called a storehouse of medicinal plants used in scientific and folk medicine.

Among forest birds, one can note the forest falcon, toucan, macaw parrot, bald parrot, fly eater, hummingbird, as well as the bird of prey gaviao.

Among insects, there are over 1800 species of butterflies and more than 200 species of mosquitoes.

In general, in the Amazonian jungle, the territory of which is more than 6 million km² and covers 9 countries of South America, there are as many different organisms as there are not on any "piece" of our planet. A huge number of various trees make it possible to rightfully call the Amazon jungle "The Tree of Life". In fact, over 400 species of insects alone live on every tree! Monkeys, birds, snakes and bats live among the lianas in the dense crowns of trees. Did you know that almost 50% of all living organisms known to scientists today live in the Amazon basin, every year this tropical world gives us new varieties of plants and animals, hitherto unknown.

The rainforest is subdivided into peculiar tiers, in which various species live, many animals do not even move vertically, all the time being in their natural niche. One of these unique animals is Amazon sloth, which, justifying its name, practically does not move, it constantly hangs on branches or on vines. It is interesting that these animals are completely incapable of moving on the ground, they can neither walk nor stand, but sloths are wonderful swimmers.

On one of the islands, located in the middle of the river, on an area of ​​more than 800 hectares, there is a unique ecopark, which allows sick and confiscated monkeys to adapt to the wild environment. The island contains more than 20 species of primates; there are quite rare species that cannot be seen in any zoo in the world. This exceptional nature reserve was established for conservation purposes as well as a scientific center for primate research.

- an irreplaceable natural ecosystem, which today is threatened with extinction due to the massive felling of trees. Ruthless exploitation of forests leads to soil erosion and the death of many species of plants and animals. Now it is extremely rare to find here Amazonian otter(lat.Ptesonura brasilensis). The list of endangered species has already included mahogany (Spanish Rio Palenque) and a unique brazilian rosewood(Palisander Rosewood) with amazingly beautiful wood, from which expensive furniture is made.

The waters of the Amazon are rich in river inhabitants: the number and variety of representatives of river depths is simply amazing, but this is not surprising, because only one of the river's tributaries carries more water than all European rivers combined!

Underwater inhabitants of the Amazon

According to scientists, tens of millions of years ago, on the site of the Amazon, there was a sea that divided the South American continent into northern and southern parts. As a result of land formation processes, this territory began to slowly rise, the sea water gradually became desalinated, and the ancestors of some of today's inhabitants of the Amazon managed to adapt to fresh river water.

These types of inhabitants include:, a massive bullfish (reaching a length of 4 m and a weight of more than 500 kg.) And a typical sea fish - stingray. Interestingly, the spine of the neck of the Pink Dolphin is not fused together, so that he is able to bend his neck at right angles to his body.

The rich fauna of the Amazon is also represented by the freshwater white river dolphin inia (lat.Inia geoffrensis) and nutria (in Europe, this animal is specially bred on fur farms).

The variety of fish species found in the Amazon and its tributaries is simply amazing. By the way, many popular aquarium fish, for example, swordtails, guppies, scalars and armored catfish, come from here. Only in the Amazon basin are fish such as tambakui (Spanish Tambaqui, Latin Colossoma macropomum) - an omnivorous predator that grows up to 90 cm in length, feeding on the seeds and fruits of rubber trees falling into the water; protopters (Latin Protopterus) - a species of lung-breathing fish, one of the last on the planet; as well as aravan fish (Spanish Arawana, lat. Osteoglossum bicirrhosum), reaching a length of up to 1 m, which, jumping out of the water, grabs insects from tree branches hanging over the river.

Herbivores include exotic wedge-belly fish, which can fly through the air for more than 10 m, as well as very impressive (up to 4 meters), but completely harmless arapaims, their rough tongue (the Indians use it instead of a grater, rubbing roots) helps manatees to prevent excessive overgrowth of the river with algae.

In addition to herbivores, there are many predators in the Amazon.It is impossible not to mention one of the most famous inhabitants of the Amazon, piranhas - small flat fish (13-40 cm long), unusually voracious, with a powerful lower jaw. The piranha's triangular teeth are positioned in such a way that when the fish jaws close, they resemble the teeth of a gear. Piranhas lead a predatory lifestyle, they attack even large animals crossing the river. They are also dangerous for people: attracted by the smell of blood, schools of these fish attack prey, gnawing the victim to the bone with lightning speed.

It should be noted that, despite the frightening reputation, not all types of piranhas are so terrible: only 4 out of 18 modern species are dangerous to humans. But it's better not to mess with carnivorous piranhas. It is a little reassuring that this fish, which has a small mouth, is not able to bite off large pieces, so flocks of piranhas are a real danger.

As you know, piranhas feel blood in the water at a great distance. Sensing prey, the school frantically rushes to it, and if the animal inadvertently gets within reach, the fish are done with it in a matter of minutes. So, in 1981, the most monstrous world record was set by red piranhas: a ferry sank near the town of Obidos (), and more than 300 people were eaten alive by a flock of fish in a few minutes.

It is not very pleasant to meet a giant Amazonian crocodile - a caiman, a relative of the North American alligator. The caiman is especially dangerous because this animal is a real genius of disguise; it is not easy to immediately identify a floating "log". He often walks with a “wreath” of water hyacinth adorning his head.

Fish like flathead catfish(Latin Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) and haraki (Spanish Jaraqui, the main commercial fish of the Amazon), thanks to the ability to vibrate the swim bladder by contraction of muscles, are able to make shrill sounds. Amazon catfish - flathead can reach more than 2 m in length and up to 80 kg. weight, this fish makes loud trumpet sounds, similar to the roar of an elephant, which are carried over the water at a distance of up to 100 m. And male haraki, during spawning, make a very loud sound, reminiscent of the engine noise of a running motorcycle. The abundance and variety of "singing" fish in the Amazon is apparently explained by the significant amount of humus and limestone impurities in the river. Under conditions of great turbidity of river waters, visual communication of fish becomes difficult, so they use sounds.

The Amazonian archer fish can be safely sent to the Olympics, because the accuracy of its "shooting" does not go well in the head - the "spit" of the archer, mind you, from under the water, hits right on target (usually an insect) from a distance of more than 1.5 m!

Many amazing animals are found in the Amazon, there is a "mammalian" fish, along the sides of which there are glands that secrete a liquid similar to milk. The young generation of this amazing fish feeds on its mother's "milk".

Totally unique electric eel, found in the underwater thickets of the river. In addition to the fact that it has special organs capable of producing a "discharge" of up to 600 V, the skat also has a radar. Just a unique mobile powerhouse!

The list of unique fish and aquatic animals that live in the Amazon is endless!

Dangerous animals of the Amazon

The amazing world of wild flora and fauna that reigns in the zone of the world's largest river can be unsafe for people. After all, poisonous and dangerous animals are found everywhere in the Amazon.

In addition to the aforementioned Amazonian piranhas, vampire fish, and jaguars, there are various venomous snakes, frogs and spiders. These animals are dangerous and, at the same time, very rare species.

Frogs

Frogs living on the coast, as well as in the forests of the Amazon Basin, undoubtedly deserve special mention:

  • "Ranitomeya summersi" (lat.) - a genus of frogs from the order of tailless amphibians, dart frogs (they live in tropical forests). This is a venomous species of frog, recently discovered in Peru, in 2008. The frog is distinguished by its unique bright orange patterns that cover its entire body and a "black mask" that hides its eyes.
  • "Ameerega pepperi" (lat.) - also a type of poisonous frog, found in Peru in 2009, with an unusual bright color of the skin (bright green with shades of blue).
  • "Osteocephalus yasuni" is another species of unusual frogs that were discovered in the last century (in 1999). The habitat of this frog is the Amazon basin in Colombia, Peru, etc.
  • Ranitomeya benedict is a dwarf poison dart frog, this tiny tree frog lives in low-lying rain forests, very poisonous and dangerous. It was first found in 2008 in Peru. In addition to being very beautiful, the frog is also useful: frog venom is used in medicine as an effective pain reliever.
  • "Hypsiboas liliae" is a unique, rarest species of frog. She is bright green in color, with large, heavily bulging eyes and an iridescent blue skin on her abdomen.
  • "Nymphargus wileyi" is an unusually interesting frog species first found in Ecuador. The frog differs in that it has a green color and such a transparent skin on the abdomen that all the internal organs of the amphibian are clearly visible through it (for which they were called "glass frogs").
  • "Osteocephalus castaneicola" - This frog, first discovered in Bolivia quite recently, in 2009, The frog has a silvery-gray skin with a fashionable "tiger" pattern on its legs.

1. Arapaima gigas
It is highly unlikely that you will catch this fish, but there is always a chance. Arapaima, also known as piracuchu or paiche, is a huge carnivorous fish that can be found in the Amazon River and its surrounding lakes. Fortunately, this prehistoric giant fish prefers to hunt other fish and birds rather than humans, and they are such effective predators that they can even live in piranha-infested waters. They are usually found close to the surface of the water because they must take in additional oxygen through their gills. Arapaima can reach two and a half meters in length and weigh up to 90 kilograms and are the world's largest freshwater fish.

2. Tambaki (Colossoma macropomum)
Also known as Paku, Tambaki are the seeds and fruits that this fish feeds on. A member of the piranha family, the species can grow up to one meter in length and weigh up to 45 kilograms. It is probably considered the most valuable fish in the region. The fish often feed on the seeds of the rubber tree and are usually found in the waters near Manaus in Brazil.

4. Red Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)
Perhaps the most famous and most dangerous sea creature in the Amazon, the pot-bellied piranha has been portrayed everywhere as one of the most dangerous fish in the popular Amazon River, in fact it is not. The fish are mostly scavengers that can grow up to 30 centimeters in length. In Hollywood films, they show that they eat their prey to the bone in a matter of minutes, in fact this is quite a rare occurrence and usually only happens when a school of fish has been starving for a very long time.

5. Armored catfish
Characterized by bony plates covering their skin. The armored catfish, a member of the Loricarid family, usually has a ventral suctermouth with papillae on the lips that allows them to feed and breathe. The armored catfish is also known as the "Plek", and various types of armored catfish can be found in the Amazon region. The fish can eat wood, but it cannot digest it and removes the undigested pieces of wood as waste.

6. Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus)
Despite the name, electric eel is not actually an eel, it is a fish. An electric eel can reach about two and a half meters in length and weigh about 22-23 kilograms. Adult electric eels hit with a discharge that can reach 650 volts. This is quite enough to cause very severe damage to a person in the water, up to instant death. Usually inhabits at depth, in muddy soil. After his death, the eel can still contain a strong electrical discharge for 8 hours. In this connection, the locals living on the shores of the Amazon always try to avoid this type of fish.

7. Pancake stingrays
The fish literally resembles pancakes. This species was discovered in 2012 in Rio Nanai near Iquitos, Peru. Freshwater rays are known to grow up to about 450 kilograms and have over 40 different species, many of which are constantly found in the Amazon River.

8. Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Traditionally a saltwater fish, otherwise called Bull Shark, it has adapted to freshwater water and is most often found in Brazil due to its proximity to the ocean. These intelligent creatures have developed special osmoregulatory buds that allow them to alter the salinity of the water where they live. Their kidneys primarily recycle the vital salts they need throughout the body, allowing them to constantly move to freshwater areas.

9. Vampire fish Payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides)
Pajara or vampire fish can be found in most parts of the Amazon in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Known to be extremely aggressive (and vampire-like!) Vampire fish are most commonly found in fast moving water and rapids, making them usually harder to spot. Fierce predators can eat fish that are half their body size, which is usually about one meter and weighs about 18 kilograms. Its striking feature is its two front canines.

10. Peacock bass or Tucunar Peacock Bass (Cichla Temensis)
The Tucunar Peacock Bass is native to the Rio Negro, Ouatuma and Orinocoin basins in northern South America. This particular type of bass is also known as: spotted pavon, spotted peacock, or painted pavon. It is a very large South American cichlid and a very valuable fish. It reaches almost 1 meter in length and weighs over 12 kg. Peacock bass is most often found in rapids and in calm waters with medium depth. They only eat small fish, especially filamentous fish, mosquitoes, tilapia, and blue fungus.

The Amazon basin, also known as the Amazon rainforest, or Amazon, covers over 7 million square kilometers and spans nine countries: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. According to some estimates, this region (which covers almost 40% of the area of ​​the South American continent) is home to a tenth of the world's animals. In this article, you will discover the most important animals in the Amazon, from monkeys to dart frogs.

Piranha

There are many myths about piranhas including that they can eat the carcass of a cow in less than 5 minutes or that they like to attack humans. However, there is no doubt that the piranha is designed to kill, as it has sharp teeth and extremely powerful jaws. Considering how many people fear the common piranha, they would hardly want to know about the giant ancestor of the piranha - megapiranha, which was 4 times larger than its contemporary.

Capybara

Capybara is the largest rodent in the world, which grows up to 70 kg. It is widespread throughout South America, but is especially fond of the warm, humid surroundings of the Amazon Basin. This mammal prefers abundant rainforest vegetation, including fruits, tree bark, aquatic plants, and gathers in social groups of up to 100 individuals.

Jaguar

The third largest representative after lions and tigers. Over the past century, jaguars have faced threats such as deforestation and human invasion that have limited their range across South America. However, jaguars are much more difficult to hunt in the dense forests of the Amazon basin than in open areas, and impassable rainforest can be the last resort for these cats. Jaguar is a superpredator, being at the top of the food chain, it is not threatened by other animals.

Giant otter

Giant otters are the largest members of the weasel family, and are closely related to the weasel. Males of this species can reach a length of up to 2 m and a weight of up to 35 kg. Both sexes have a thick and shiny coat, which is very valuable to poachers. It is estimated that only about 5,000 giant otters remain in the entire Amazon.

Unusually for mustelids (but fortunately for poachers), giant otters live in large social groups of about 20 individuals.

Giant anteater

He has a comically long muzzle - thanks to which, he is able to wade into narrow holes of insects, as well as a long fluffy tail. Some individuals can weigh up to 45 kg. Like many, the giant anteater is under serious threat, but the swampy, impenetrable basin of the Amazon River provides some level of protection from human encroachment for the remaining individuals (not to mention the inexhaustible supply of tasty ants).

Golden lion marmoset

The golden lion tamarin is a small monkey, also known as golden lion tamarin or rosalia. This primate species has suffered terribly from human invasion: by some estimates, the monkey has lost a whopping 95% of its South American habitat since the arrival of European settlers 600 years ago. The golden marmoset weighs no more than one kilogram and has a striking appearance: thick, silky, bright red hair, as well as a dark face, and large brown eyes.

This primate's distinctive color is likely due to the combination of intense sunlight and the abundance of carotenoids in its diet.

Black caiman

It is the largest and most dangerous reptile in the Amazon Basin. It is a member of the alligator family and can reach a body length of about 6 m and a weight of up to 500 kg. Black caimans consume almost everything that moves, from mammals to birds and their fellow reptiles. In the 1970s, the black caiman was seriously threatened with extinction due to hunting for meat and valuable skin, but its population has since recovered, which cannot bring joy to other animals of the Amazon rainforest.

Pointing frogs

Dart frogs are a family from the class of amphibians, there are 179 species. The brighter the color of the poison dart frogs, the stronger their venom - which is why the Amazon predators stay away from bright green or orange species. These frogs do not produce their own venom, but accumulate it from ants, ticks and other insects that make up their diet (as evidenced by the fact that dart frogs that were kept in captivity and fed on other food are much less poisonous).

Rainbow toucan

The rainbow toucan is one of the most comical animal species in the Amazon. It is characterized by a huge, multi-colored beak, which is actually much lighter than meets the eye (the rest of the body is not as bright, except for the yellow neck). Unlike many of the animals on this list, the rainbow toucan population is of least concern. This bird jumps from branch to branch and lives in small groups of 6 to 12 individuals. During the mating season, males challenge each other to a duel and use their beaks as weapons.

Three-toed sloth

Millions of years ago, during the Pleistocene era, the rainforests of South America were home to giant, 4-ton sloths - megateria. How things changed: Today, one of the most common sloths in the Amazon Basin is the three-toed sloth. (Bradypus tridactylus). He has a greenish-brown coat color (due to green algae), limbs with three sharp and long claws, and is also able to swim. This animal is terribly unhurried - its average speed is about 16 meters / hour.

The three-toed sloth coexists with two species of the genus of two-toed sloths (Choloepus): Goffman's sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and a two-toed sloth or unau (Choloepus didactylus) and they sometimes choose the same trees.