Arowana

Classification

They are primitive throwbacks from the lower Tertiary and are placed in the actinopterygiid order Osteoglossiformes. Seven described species remain: three from South America, one from Africa and the remaining three from Australasia.

Habits

Most are entirely carnnivourous, often being specialised surface feeders. They are excellent jumpers and it has been reported that Osteoglossum species have been seen leaping more than 6 feet from the water surface to pick off monkeys from overhanging branches in South America. All species are large, and the Arapaima is a contender for the world's largest fish.

Species

The family contains two subfamilies, Heterotidinae and Osteoglossinae, with all but two of the seven extant species being members of the latter.

Heterotidinae

Genus Arapaima

• Arapaima gigas (Cuvier, 1829) - the "Pirarucu" or Arapaima

Genus Heterotis

• Heterotis niloticus(Cuvier, 1829) - the "African Arowana"

Osteoglossinae

Genus Osteoglossum

• Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Cuvier, 1829) - the "Silver Arowana"

• Osteoglossum ferreirai Kanazawa, 1966 - the "Black Arowana"

Genus Scleropages

• Scleropages formosus (Schlegel & Müller, 1844)- the "Asian Arowana" or "Green Arowana"

• Scleropages jardini (Saville-Kent, 1892)- the "Silver Barramundi" or "Northern Barramundi"

• Scleropages leichardti Günther, 1864 - the "Spotted Barramundi"

Referenced By