Zungaro zungaro
Encyclopedia
The Jau is a South America
n catfish
(order
Siluriformes) of the family
Pimelodidae
.
of the monotypic
genus
Zungaro. However, some sources list other species as valid, such as Zungaro jahu. This species may be referred to by one of its synonyms
, Brachyplatystoma flavicans. This species contains two subspecies, Z. z. mangurus and Z. z. zungaro.
and Orinoco Rivers; in the Amazon, this fish is found quite upstream, in the main bed of the big tributaries with muddy bottoms.
, and specimens measuring 130 cm (51 in) and weighing 50 kilograms (110 lb) are not rare.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
(order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Siluriformes) of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Pimelodidae
Pimelodidae
Pimelodidae, commonly known as the long-whiskered catfishes, is a family of catfishes .-Taxonomy:Pimelodidae has undergone much revision. Currently, the family contains about 30 genera and about 90 recognized and known but unnamed species...
.
Taxonomy
By some sources, it is the only speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Zungaro. However, some sources list other species as valid, such as Zungaro jahu. This species may be referred to by one of its synonyms
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
, Brachyplatystoma flavicans. This species contains two subspecies, Z. z. mangurus and Z. z. zungaro.
Distribution and habitat
They are sexually mature upon reaching 10 kg (22 lb) weight. This fish originates from the AmazonAmazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
and Orinoco Rivers; in the Amazon, this fish is found quite upstream, in the main bed of the big tributaries with muddy bottoms.
Description
This fish reaches 140 centimetres (55 in) TLFish measurement
Fish measurement refers to the measuring of the length of individual fish and of various parts of their anatomy. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology.-Overall length:...
, and specimens measuring 130 cm (51 in) and weighing 50 kilograms (110 lb) are not rare.