Paiche vs Jaquetón blanco

Arapaima gigas comparado con Carcharodon carcharias

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Paiche	Jaquetón blanco
Nombre Científico	Arapaima gigas	Carcharodon carcharias
Orden	Osteoglossiformes	Lamniformes
Familia	Arapaimidae	Lamnidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Vulnerable

Physical Traits

Atributo	Paiche	Jaquetón blanco
Longitud Máxima	450,0 cm	600,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	1905,0 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.	Classic countershaded coloration: slate-gray to charcoal-brown dorsal surface with a sharply defined boundary to a pure white ventral surface; pectoral fin tips dusky to black.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Paiche	Jaquetón blanco
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Saltwater
Rango de Profundidad	—	0-1280m
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 …	Cosmopolitan in cool to warm coastal and offshore waters of all major oceans. Key aggregation sites include South Africa, California, South Australia, and New Zealand. …
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, estuaries

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Paiche	Jaquetón blanco
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	Sí	Sí
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.

Jaquetón blanco

Edible but rarely consumed; flesh requires careful handling to remove ammonia. Consumption is strongly discouraged — this species is Vulnerable and protected in many jurisdictions.

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.

Jaquetón blanco

The great white shark is the world's largest predatory fish. Found in coastal surface waters of all major oceans, it can detect a single drop of blood in 100 liters of water. Despite its fearsome reputation, attacks on humans are rare.