kids encyclopedia robot

Arapaima mapae facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Arapaima mapae
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Synonyms
  • Vastres mapae Valenciennes, 1847

Arapaima mapae is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Brazil, where it is known only from Lago do Amapá in Amapá State.

It is a member of the arapaimas, a genus of air-breathing fish that contains some of the world's largest freshwater fish. It is known only from a single holotype collected in 1837, which was purchased by a French army officer from an indigenous trader in French Guiana, and later described as a new species by Achille Valenciennes. A 2013 review of wild-caught Arapaima specimens worldwide found sufficient morphological evidence to classify it as a distinct species.

There have been no efforts to rediscover the species and assess the status of the population; for this reason, it is classified as data deficient on the IUCN Red List. However, potential threats to this species include overfishing, habitat degradation, and the introduction of alien arapaima species.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Arapaima mapae para niños

kids search engine
Arapaima mapae Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.