Arapaima vs Summer Flounder

Arapaima gigas comparado com Paralichthys dentatus

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Arapaima	Summer Flounder
Nome Científico	Arapaima gigas	Paralichthys dentatus
Ordem	Osteoglossiformes	Perciformes
Família	Arapaimidae	Pleuronectidae
Conservation Status	Data Deficient	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Arapaima	Summer Flounder
Comprimento Máximo	450,0 cm	94,0 cm
Peso Máximo	200,0 kg	12,0 kg
Cor	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.	Eyed side is brownish to gray-green with a mottled pattern of pale blotches; 12–14 distinct pale-edged dark ocelli (eyespots) scattered across the body; blind side is plain white; color changes with substrate.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Arapaima	Summer Flounder
Tipo de Água	Freshwater	Saltwater
Faixa de Profundidade	—	10-183m
Distribuição 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 …	Western North Atlantic from Nova Scotia south to Florida and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Undertakes seasonal offshore migration to deeper Continental Shelf waters in …
Habitat	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, demersal, estuaries

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Arapaima	Summer Flounder
Peixe Esportivo	Sim	Sim
Classificação de Resistência	10/10	4/10
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Arapaima

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.

Summer Flounder

Thin, delicate white fillets with a sweet, mild flavor and very low fat. Prized on the U.S. East Coast; superb pan-fried in butter, stuffed and baked, or prepared as ceviche.

Species Overview

Arapaima

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.

Summer Flounder

The summer flounder, or fluke, is a flatfish that lies camouflaged on the ocean floor. Born with eyes on both sides, one eye migrates to the left side during development. An ambush predator, it explodes upward to grab passing prey.