Paiche vs Cornuda gigante

Arapaima gigas comparado con Sphyrna mokarran

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Paiche	Cornuda gigante
Nombre Científico	Arapaima gigas	Sphyrna mokarran
Orden	Osteoglossiformes	Carcharhiniformes
Familia	Arapaimidae	Sphyrnidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Critically Endangered

Physical Traits

Atributo	Paiche	Cornuda gigante
Longitud Máxima	450,0 cm	610,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	580,0 kg
Color	Dark olive-gray to grayish-black back with large scales that become vivid red-orange with black borders on the posterior flanks; belly pale cream; caudal fin reddish and rounded.	Brownish-gray to olive-gray dorsal surface with a clean countershaded white belly; no distinct patterning; first dorsal fin is tall and strongly falcate; pelvic fin tips dusky.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Paiche	Cornuda gigante
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Saltwater
Rango de Profundidad	—	1-300m
Distribución Geográfica	Restricted to the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Peru, Guyana, and Bolivia. Inhabits flooded várzea lakes, oxbows, and large river channels; surfaces frequently to breathe …	Circumtropical in warm coastal and offshore waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Concentrates around coral reefs, continental shelf edges, and deep-water drop-offs; population …
Hábitat	Floodplain lakes (várzea) and large river channels of the Amazon basin. Slow-moving, shallow, warm freshwater (26-30°C). An obligate air-breather; rises to surface to gulp air. …	Neritic

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Paiche	Cornuda gigante
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	Sí	No
Clasificación de Pelea	10/10	—
Récord Mundial	—	—
Nivel de Mercurio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Paiche

Large, firm white fillets with a mild, clean flavor and low fat; historically a staple protein in Amazonian communities. Often salted and dried; sustainable harvest is tightly regulated.

Cornuda gigante

Critically Endangered — consumption strongly discouraged. Fins are historically traded but the species faces severe population decline; eating this fish is ecologically irresponsible.

Species Overview

Paiche

The arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, reaching up to 4.5 meters. An obligate air-breather, it must surface every 10-20 minutes to gulp air. Its tongue is bony and used to crush prey against the roof of its mouth.

Cornuda gigante

The great hammerhead is the largest of the nine hammerhead shark species. Its distinctive cephalofoil (hammer-shaped head) houses an array of electroreceptors that allow it to detect stingrays buried beneath the sand.