Piaractus mesopotamicus
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Piaractus mesopotamicus, the small-scaled pacu, Paraná River pacu or simply pacu (a name shared with other species), is a South American ray-finned fish that is native to the Paraguay-Paraná River basin,[1][2] but it has been introduced by aquaculture activities in a wider area.[3] In its native range it is also known as the pacú chato, pez chato ("flat fish") or mbiraí-piraí.[4]
Piaractus 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.[1] It reaches up to Template:Convert in length[3] and Template:Convert in weight.[1] The other member of its genus, P. brachypomus, can be distinguished by its larger scale-size[5] and the lower number of lateral scales (less than 110).[6]
Piaractus mesopotamicus is an omnivore.[3] Young individuals usually feed on micro-crustaceans, while adults feed on plant material and insects.[3] Main food items for adults are nuts and seeds that fall from trees in flooded forests.[1] It tolerates water temperatures between Template:Convert, but stops feeding when it falls below Template:Convert.[3]
References
- El Pato Web: Especies del Paraná (in Spanish)
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- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "Cite taxon".
- ↑ Nico, L.; and B. Loftus (7 October 2012). Piaractus mesopotamicus. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ↑ a b c d e A. A. Agostinho, L. C. Gomes, H. I. Suzuki, H. Ferreira Júlio Jr: Migratory fishes of the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura (Nupelia). Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
- ↑ Mulca, P. (26 April 2013). Piaractus mesopotamicus. PezAdicto Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ↑ OPEFE (27 December 2011). genus Piaractus. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ↑ Nico, L.; P. Fuller; and M. Neilson (22 October 2013). Piaractus brachypomus. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. Retrieved 2 March 2017.