- Piaractus mesopotamicus
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Pacú Pacú Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Characiformes Family: Characidae Subfamily: Serrasalminae Genus: Piaractus Species: P. mesopotamicus Binomial name Piaractus mesopotamicus
Holmberg, 1887Synonyms Myletes edulis
Myletes mesopotamicus
Colossoma mitrei
Colossoma canteraiPacú (Piaractus mesopotamicus), pez chato ("flat fish"), mbiraí, or piraí, 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.
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.
References
- "Piaractus mesopotamicus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=641578. Retrieved 24 January 2006.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Piaractus mesopotamicus" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
- 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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