Piaractus mesopotamicus
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| Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 |
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Myletes edulis |
Piaractus mesopotamicus is a South American ray-finned fish that is endemic to the Paraguay-Paraná River basin, though it has been introduced by aquaculture activities in a wider area. It is usually referred to simply by its common name, pacú, but it is also known as pez chato ("flat fish"), mbiraí, or piraí.
P. mesopotamicus is a robust fish, with ovoid shape, flattened laterally. Its colour is dark grey to silver, with a white belly and a yellow breast, and the laterals have small darker spots.
This fish is an omnivore. Young individuals usually feed on micro-crustaceans, but adults choose insects and plants, as well as nuts and seeds that fall from trees in flooded forests.
[edit] References
- Piaractus mesopotamicus (TSN 641578). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 24 January 2006.
- "Piaractus mesopotamicus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 10 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.
- Migratory fishes of the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. A. A. Agostinho, L. C. Gomes, H. I. Suzuki, H. Ferreira Júlio Jr. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aqüicultura (Nupelia). Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
- El Pato Web: Especies del Paraná (in Spanish)
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