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, 1887
Synonyms
Myletes edulis Myletes mesopotamicus Colossoma mitrei Colossoma canterai

Pacú (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.

[edit] References

• Piaractus mesopotamicus (TSN 641578). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 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)