Hydrolycus armatus | |
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Adult in Berlin Aquarium, Germany | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Characiformes |
Family: | Cynodontidae |
Genus: | Hydrolycus |
Species: | H. armatus
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Binomial name | |
Hydrolycus armatus (
Jardine, 1841)
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Hydrolycus armatus is a species of dogtooth characin found in freshwater of tropical South America. [2] It is sometimes known as harm, [1] or payara, [3] [4] [5] 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. [3] [6] In its native range it is considered a major gamefish. [5] [6]
This species of fish is found in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins in tropical South America. [2] [7] They are found in several different freshwater habitats, but often in fast-flowing water. [5] [8] They are typically found in deeper waters during the day. [8] 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. [9] At least some populations are migratory. [8]
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). [3] [7] [10]
A typically reported maximum total length of this fish is 89 cm (2 ft 11 in), [2] but records show specimens up to 95 cm (3 ft 1 in) in Venezuela [4] and more than 100 cm (3.3 ft) in Brazil. [5] It typically weighs up to 8.5 kg (18 lb 12 oz), [2] but can reach almost 18 kg (40 lb). [5] It has frequently been confused with the generally smaller H. scomberoides. [3] [7] H. armatus reaches maturity when at least 30 cm (1 ft) long. [8] 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. [4] These are used for spearing their prey, usually other fish. [10]