The Amazon River Basin, also known as the Amazon Rainforest, or Amazonia, covers more than 7 million square kilometers and overlaps the borders of nine countries: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. By some estimates, this region (which occupies almost 40% of the area of the South American continent) is home to a tenth of the world's animals. In this article, you will discover the most important animals living in the Amazon, from monkeys to poison dart frogs.
Piranha
There are many myths about piranhas including that they can eat a cow carcass in less than 5 minutes or like to attack people. However, there is no doubt that the piranha is made to kill, as it has sharp teeth and extremely powerful jaws. Considering how many people are afraid of the common piranha, they would hardly want to know about the giant ancestor of the piranha - megapiranha, which was 4 times larger than its contemporary.
capybara
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world, growing up to 70 kg. It is widely distributed throughout South America, but is especially fond of the warm, humid surroundings of the Amazon basin. This mammal prefers abundant vegetation. rainforest, including fruits, tree bark, aquatic plants, and gathers in social groups of up to 100 individuals.
Jaguar
The third largest representative after lions and tigers. Over the past century, jaguars have faced threats such as deforestation and human encroachment that have limited their range throughout South America. However, jaguars are much more difficult to hunt in the dense forests of the Amazon than in open area, and impenetrable patches of rainforest may be the last hope for these cats. The jaguar is a super predator, being at the top of the food chain, it is not threatened by other animals.
giant otter
Giant otters are the largest members of the mustelid family and are closely related to weasels. Males of this species can reach a length of up to 2 m and a weight of up to 35 kg. Both sexes have thick and shiny coats that are very valuable to poachers. It is estimated that there are only about 5,000 giant otters left in the entire Amazon.
Unusually for mustelids (but fortunately for poachers), giant otters live in large social groups consisting of about 20 individuals.
giant anteater
It has a comically long muzzle - thanks to which it is able to sneak into the narrow holes of insects, as well as a long bushy tail. Some individuals can reach a weight of 45 kg. Like many, the giant anteater is under serious threat, but the swampy, impenetrable Amazon River basin provides some level of protection from human encroachment for the remaining individuals (not to mention an inexhaustible supply of tasty ants).
Golden Lion Marmoset
The golden lion marmoset is a small monkey, also known as the golden lion tamarin or rosalia. This species of primate has suffered terribly from human encroachment: by some estimates, the ape lost a whopping 95% of its South American habitat with the arrival of European settlers 600 years ago. The golden marmoset weighs no more than one kilogram and has an amazing appearance: thick, silky, bright red coat, as well as a dark face, and large brown eyes.
This primate's distinctive color probably depends on a combination of intense sunlight and the abundance of carotenoids found in its diet.
black caiman
It is the largest and most dangerous reptile in the Amazon. It is a representative of the alligator family and can reach a body length of about 6 m and a weight of up to 500 kg. Black caimans eat almost anything that moves, from mammals to birds and their reptile cousins. In the 1970s, the black caiman was under serious threat of extinction due to hunting for meat and valuable skin, but its population has since recovered, which cannot bring joy to other animals of the Amazon rainforest.
Dart frogs
Arrow flies are a family of amphibians with 179 species. The brighter the color of the poison dart frogs, the stronger their poison - which is why Amazon predators stay away from bright green or orange species. These frogs do not produce their own poison, but accumulate it from ants, mites, and other insects in their diet (this is evidenced by the fact that poison dart frogs that were kept in captivity and fed on other foods are much less poisonous).
rainbow toucan
The rainbow toucan is one of the most comical animal species in the Amazon. It is characterized by a huge, multi-colored beak that is actually much lighter than it first appears (the rest of the body is not as bright except for the yellow neck). Unlike many of the animals on this list, the rainbow toucan population is of the least concern. This bird jumps from branch to branch and lives in small groups of 6 to 12 individuals. During the mating season, males challenge each other to duels and use their beaks as weapons.
three-toed sloth
Millions of years ago, during the Pleistocene era, rainforests South America were home to giant, 4-ton sloths - megatheriums. How things have changed: Today, one of the most common sloths in the Amazon is the three-toed sloth. (Bradypus tridactylus). It has a greenish-brown coat color (due to green algae), limbs with three sharp and long claws, and is also able to swim. This animal is terribly slow - its average speed is about 16o meters / hour.
The three-toed sloth coexists with two species of the two-toed sloth genus (Choloepus): sloth hoffman (Choloepus hoffmanni) and two-toed sloth or unau (Choloepus didactylus), and they sometimes choose the same trees.
The Amazon Rainforest is a vast ecosystem that provides a habitat for creatures as strange and wonderful as the jaguar, poison frog and a Jesus lizard. But the Amazon is not only home to those animals that just roam, swing and slide in the trees. In the depths of the Amazon River, the largest river in the world, live creatures so amazing and so terrifying that sometimes they seem even scarier than creepy sea creatures.
Black Cayman
The black caiman looks like an alligator on steroids. They can grow up to six meters long, with larger, heavier skulls than Nile crocodiles, and are the apex predator in Amazonian waters. This means that they are the kings of the river who eat almost everything, including piranha, monkeys, deer and anaconda. And yes, they often attack people. In 2010, a biologist named Days Nishimura was attacked by a caiman while cleaning fish on her houseboat. while she managed to fight him off, he took one of her legs with him. This particular caiman lived under her houseboat for eight months, apparently waiting for a chance to attack.
Green Anaconda
Continuing the theme of giant reptiles, the largest snake in the world lives in the Amazon: the anaconda. While pythons are actually longer, the green anaconda is much heavier; females are larger than males and can reach 250 kilograms, grow up to nine meters in length and reach 30 centimeters in diameter. They are not venomous, but instead use their muscles to constrict and suffocate their prey, which includes capybara, deer, caiman, and even jaguars. Preferring shallower waters that allow them to sneak up on prey, anacondas tend to live in branches of the Amazon rather than the river itself.
Arapaima
Arapaima are giant carnivorous fish that live in the Amazon and surrounding lakes. Encased in an armored casing, they don't bother living in piranha-infested waters, as they are quite efficient predators themselves, feeding on fish and the occasional bird. Arapaima tend to stay close to the surface because they have to breathe air in addition to the oxygen they get through their gills. They make a distinctive coughing sound when they emerge to gasp for air. They can reach 2.7 meters in length and weigh up to 90 kilograms. These fish are so dangerous that even their tongue has teeth. 
giant otter
Giant otters are the longest members of the weasel family, with adult males reaching up to two meters from head to tail. Their diet primarily consists of fish and crabs, which they hunt in family groups of three to eight members, and they can eat up to four kilograms of seafood a day. Their good looks are deceiving as they are more than worthy of the other animals on this list and are capable of hunting even the anaconda. Under certain conditions, they can easily keep protection from the caiman. One family of otters was seen devouring a 1.5 meter caiman in about 45 minutes. While their numbers are declining mainly due to human interference, they are among the most dangerous predators in the world. rain forest Amazons, having received the local name "river wolves." 
bull shark
Commonly living in the ocean marine animals, bull sharks are both at home and in fresh water. They were found deep in the Amazon, in Peru, which is almost 4,000 kilometers from the sea. They have special kidneys that can sense changes in the salinity of the surrounding water and adjust accordingly. And you don't want to meet one of them in the river. They tend to reach 3.3 meters in length and weigh up to 312 kilograms. Like all other sharks, they have several rows of sharp, triangular teeth and very strong jaws with a bite force of 589 kilograms. They are also quite partial to humans, being one of the most commonly attacked humans (along with tiger sharks and great whites). Combined with the habit of living near densely populated areas, this has led many experts to label bull sharks as the world's most dangerous sharks. 
electric eel
Electric eels are actually more closely related to catfish than simple eels. They can grow up to 2.5 meters long and can generate charges of electricity from specialized cells called electrocytes. These impacts can reach up to 600 volts, which is enough to knock a horse down. While shock alone is not enough to kill a healthy adult, shocks from an electric eel can cause respiratory failure or heart failure and a person can drown. Many of the disappearances reported in the region have been attributed to eels, which shocked their victims and left them drowning in the river. Luckily for us, eels tend to feed on fish, birds, and small mammals. They locate their prey by sending out small, 10-volt blasts before killing them with large blasts. 
piranhas
The most dangerous predator of the Amazon River, about which even horror films are made. The red-bellied piranha is primarily a scavenger. But that doesn't mean they won't attack healthy creatures, given that they can grow to over 30 centimeters and swim in large groups. Piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth, one row in each of their strong upper and lower jaws. These teeth grapple with tremendous force, making them ideal for tearing and ripping through the flesh of their prey. Their fearsome reputation mainly comes from tales of their frenzied attacks, where groups of piranhas attack their unfortunate prey and tear it to shreds within minutes. These attacks are rare and are usually the result of starvation or provocation. 
Payara, the vampire fish
Any creature named "vampire fish" should automatically be recognized as scary, and the payara is no exception. They are absolutely ferocious predators, capable of devouring fish up to half their own body size. Given that they can grow up to 1.2 meters long, this is no mean feat. A significant portion of their diet is made up of piranha, which should give you some idea of just how dangerous these villains can be. They get their name from the two fangs that sprout from their lower jaw, which are up to 15 centimeters long. Payar fangs are used to literally pierce their prey after a lightning lunge. Their fangs are so large that vampire fish have special holes in their upper jaw to avoid impaling themselves. 
Pacu
Another inhabitant of the Amazon, which can be much more dangerous for men than for women. Pacu is a much larger relative of the piranha, known for its distinctive sharp teeth. Unlike most of the creatures on this list, the pacu is actually an omnivore and most of its diet consists of fruits and nuts. Unfortunately for some pacu, "nuts" may not only mean things that fall from trees. Yes, that's right: Paku was sometimes bitten off the testicles of male swimmers in Papua New Guinea after the fish apparently mistook their genitals for a snack. And don't worry you can't head to the Amazon to see these monsters because they're already spreading to Europe. 
The giant arapaima is one of the largest and least studied fish in the world. Those descriptions of fish that are found in the literature are borrowed mainly from the unreliable stories of travelers.
It is even strange how little has been done so far to deepen our knowledge of the biology and behavior of the arapaima. For years, it has been hunted mercilessly both in the Peruvian and Brazilian parts of the Amazon, and in its many tributaries. At the same time, no one cared about studying it and did not think about preserving it. Schools of fish seemed inexhaustible. And only when the number of fish began to noticeably decrease, interest in it appeared.
Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Representatives of this species live in the Amazon in Brazil, Guyana and Peru. Adults reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 200 kg. The uniqueness of the arapaima is the ability to breathe air. Due to their archaic morphology, the fish is considered a living fossil. In Brazil, fishing is allowed only once a year. Initially, the fish was harvested with the help of harpoons when it rose to breathe on the surface.
Today it is caught mainly with nets. Let's take a look at this in more detail..
Photo: View of the Amazon River from the window of the Cessna 208 amphibious aircraft that brought photographer Bruno Kelly from Manaus to the village of Medio Jurua, municipality of Carauari, Amazonas State, Brazil, on September 3, 2012.
In Brazil, giant fish have been placed in ponds in the hope that they will take root there. In eastern Peru, in the jungles of the province of Loreto, certain areas of rivers and a number of lakes are left as a reserve fund. It is allowed to fish here only under the license of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Arapaima lives throughout the Amazon basin. To the east, it occurs in two areas separated by the black and acidic waters of the Rio Negro. Arapaima is not found in Rio Negro, but the river, apparently, is not an insurmountable barrier for fish. Otherwise, one would have to assume the existence of two species of fish, having different origins and living north and south of this river.
The western distribution area of \u200b\u200bthe arapaima is probably Rio Morona, to the east of it, Rio Pastaza and Lake Rimachi, where a huge amount of fish is found. This is the second protected reservoir in Peru for breeding and observing arapaima.
The adult arapaima is painted very picturesquely: the color of its back changes from bluish-black to metallic green, the belly - from cream to greenish-white, the sides and tail are silver-gray. Each of its huge scales shimmers with all sorts of shades of red (in Brazil, the fish is called pirarucu, which means red fish).
Swinging in time with the movements of the fishermen, a small canoe floated along the mirror-like surface of the Amazon. Suddenly, the water at the bow of the boat began to swirl, the mouth of a giant fish stuck out, exhaling air with a whistle. The fishermen stared dumbfounded at the monster two human heights long, covered with a scaly shell. And the giant splashed his blood-red tail - and disappeared into the depths ...
Tell such a Russian fisherman, he will immediately be ridiculed. Who is not familiar with fishing tales: either a giant fish will fall off the hook, or the local Nessie will be seen. But on the Amazon, meeting a giant is a reality.
Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish. There were specimens 4.5 m long! Now you don't see them. Since 1978, the record of the Rio Negro River (Brazil) has been held, where they caught arapaima with data of 2.48 m - 147 kg (the price of a kilogram of tender and tasty meat, which has almost no bones, far exceeds the monthly income of Amazonian fishermen. In North America it can be seen in antique shops).
This strange creature looks like a representative of the era of dinosaurs. Yes, it is true: a living fossil has not changed in 135 million years. Tropical Goliath has adapted to the marshy swamps of the Amazon basin: the bladder attached to the esophagus acts as a lung, the arapaima protrudes from the water every 10-15 minutes. She, as it were, “patrols” the Amazon basin, captures small fish in her mouth and grinds them with the help of a bony, rough tongue (locals use it as sandpaper).
These giants live in the freshwater reservoirs of South America, in particular in the eastern and western parts of the Amazon basin (in the Rio Morona, Rio Pastaza and Lake Rimachi rivers). In these places there is a huge number of arapaima. In the Amazon itself, this fish is not so much, because. she prefers quiet streams with a weak current and a lot of vegetation. A body of water with indented banks and a large number of floating plants- this is the ideal place for her to live and exist.
According to local residents, this fish can reach 4 meters in length and weigh about 200 kilograms. But arapaima is valuable commercial fish, therefore, now such huge specimens are practically not found in nature. In our time, most often come across specimens no more than 2-2.5 meters. But still, giants can be found, for example, in special aquariums or reserves.
Previously, arapaima were caught in large quantities and did not think about its population. Now, when the stocks of these fish have noticeably decreased, in some countries of South America, for example, in eastern Peru, areas of rivers and lakes have been identified that are strictly protected and fishing in these places is allowed only under license from the Ministry of Agriculture. Yes, but in limited quantities.
An adult can reach 3-4 meters. The powerful body of the fish is covered with large scales, which shimmer with various shades of red. This is especially noticeable in its tail. For this, the locals gave the fish another name - piraruku, which translates as "red fish". The fish themselves have a different color - from "green metallic" to bluish-black.
Her respiratory system is very unusual. The pharynx and swim bladder of the fish are covered with lung tissue, which allows the fish to breathe normal air. Such an adaptation has developed due to the low oxygen content in the waters of these freshwater rivers. Thanks to this, arapaima can easily survive the drought.
You can't confuse the breathing pattern of this fish with anyone else. When they rise to the surface for a breath of fresh air, small whirlpools begin to form on the water surface, and then the fish itself appears at this place with a huge open mouth. All this action lasts just a couple of seconds. She releases the "old" air and takes a new sip, her mouth abruptly closes and goes into the depths. Adults breathe like this every 10-15 minutes, young ones a little more often.
On the head of these fish are special glands that secrete a special mucus. But what it is for, you will find out a little later.
These giants feed on bottom fish, sometimes they can eat small animals, such as birds. In juveniles, freshwater shrimp are the main dish.
The breeding season for pyrarucu is in November. But they begin to create pairs already in August-September. These giants are very caring parents, especially males. Then I immediately remembered how the male "sea dragons" take care of their offspring. These fish are not far behind. The male digs a shallow hole with a diameter of about 50 centimeters near the shore. The female lays her eggs in it. Then, throughout the entire period of development and maturation of eggs, the male is next to the clutch. He guards the eggs and swims near the "nest", while the females at this time drive away the fish swimming nearby.
A week later, fry are born. The male is also next to them. Or maybe they are with him? The young are kept in a dense flock near his head, and even to breathe they rise together. But how does a male manage to discipline his kids like that? There is a secret. Remember, I mentioned special glands on the head of adults. So, the mucus that is secreted by these glands contains a stable substance that attracts fry. It is what makes them stick together. But after 2.5-3 months, when the young grow up a little, these flocks break up. The bond between parents and children is weakening.
Once the meat of these monsters was the staple food of the peoples of the Amazon. Since the late 1960s, in many rivers, the Arapaima have disappeared completely: after all, they only killed with a harpoon big fish, the nets also allowed to catch babies. The government has banned the sale of arapaime less than a meter and a half long, but the taste, which only trout and salmon can compete with, pushes people to break the law. Arapaima breeding in artificial pools with heated water is promising: they grow as much as five times faster than carps!
However, here is the opinion of K. X. Lyuling:
The literature of past years greatly exaggerates the size of the arapaima. To some extent, these exaggerations began with the descriptions of R. Schomburk in the book Fishes of British Guiana, written after a trip to Guiana in 1836. Schomburk writes that fish can reach a length of 14 feet (foot = 0.305 meters) and weigh up to 400 pounds (pound = 0.454 kilograms). However, this information was obtained by the author secondhand - from the words of the local population - he personally did not have evidence to confirm such data. In a well-known book on the fish of the world, McCormick expresses doubts about the authenticity of these stories. After reviewing all available and more or less reliable information, he concludes that members of the arapaima species never exceed 9 feet in length, a fairly substantial size for a freshwater fish.
My own experience convinced me that McCormick was right. The animals we caught in Rio Pacay averaged 6 feet in length. The largest fish was a female 7 feet long and weighing 300 pounds. Obviously, the illustration from the old editions of Brehm's Animal Life, which depicted an Indian sitting on the back of a pyrarucu, 12 to 15 feet long, should be considered sheer fantasy.
The distribution of arapaima in certain areas of the river apparently depends more on the vegetation growing there than on the nature of the water itself. For fish, a heavily indented coast with a wide strip of coastal floating plants is needed, which, intertwined, form floating meadows.
For this reason alone, fast-flowing rivers like the Amazon are unsuitable for the existence of the Arapaima. The bottom of the Amazon always remains smooth and uniform, so there are few floating plants, the ones that are usually tangled among shrubs and hanging branches.
On Rio Pacai we found arapaima in backwaters, where, in addition to floating meadows of aquatic grasses, floating mimosas and hyacinths grew. In other places, these species may have been replaced by floating ferns, victoria-regia, and some others. The giant fish is invisible between the plants.
It is perhaps not surprising that arapaims prefer to breathe air rather than the oxygen of the swampy waters in which they live.
Arapaima's manner of inhaling air is very characteristic. When a large fish approaches the surface, a whirlpool first forms on the surface of the water. Then suddenly the fish itself appears with its mouth open. She quickly releases air, making a clicking sound, inhales fresh air and immediately sinks into the depths.
According to the whirlpool formed on the surface of the water, fishermen hunting for arapaima determine where to throw the harpoon. They throw their heavy weapons right into the middle of the whirlpool and most of the time they miss their target. But the point is that giant fish often lives in small reservoirs, 60-140 meters long, and whirlpools are constantly formed here, and therefore, the likelihood of a harpoon hitting an animal increases. Adults appear on the surface every 10-15 minutes, young ones more often.
Having reached a certain size, arapaima moves to the fish table, specializing mainly in bottom armored fish. In the stomachs of arapaima, the prickly needles of the pectoral fins of these fish are most often found.
In Rio Pakai, obviously, the conditions for the life of arapaima are the most favorable. The fish living here reach maturity within four to five years. By this time they are about six feet long and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. It is believed (although not proven) that some, and possibly all, adults breed twice a year.
Once I was lucky enough to watch a pair of arapimes preparing to spawn. Everything happened in the clear and still waters of the quiet bay of Rio Pakai. The behavior of arapaima during spawning and their further care for offspring is truly an amazing sight.
In all likelihood, the spawning hole in the soft clay bottom of the fish is pulled out by mouth. In the quiet bay where we made our observations, the fish chose to spawn at a depth of only five feet below the surface. For several days, the male was within this place, and the female almost all the time kept 10-15 meters from him.
The young, hatched from the eggs, remain in the hole for about seven days. Next to them is constantly a male, either circling over the hole, or perched on the side. After that, the fry rise to the surface, relentlessly following the male and keeping in a dense flock near his head. Under the supervision of the father, the whole flock floats to the surface at once to inhale the air-Spirit.
At the age of seven to eight days, the fry begin to feed on plankton. Watching the fish through the still waters of our quiet bay, we did not notice that the fish were rearing young growth "in vtu", that is, they would take the fish in their mouths in a moment of danger. There were also no signs that the larvae feed on a substance secreted from the platelike gills located on the heads of the parents. The local population makes a clear mistake, assuming that the young are fed by parental "milk".
In November 1959, I was able to count 11 schools of young fish in a lake of about 160 acres (an acre is about 0.4 hectares). They swam close to the shore and parallel to it. The flocks seemed to avoid the wind. This is probably due to the fact that the waves formed by the wind make it difficult to inhale air from the surface of the water.
We decided to see what would happen to a flock of fish if it suddenly lost its parents, and caught them. The orphaned fish, having lost contact with their parents, obviously lost contact with each other. The tight flock began to disintegrate and eventually dispersed. After some time, we noticed that the juveniles in other flocks differ significantly from each other in size. Such a large contrast could hardly be explained by the fact that the same generation of fish developed differently. Apparently, other Arapaima adopted orphans. Expanding the circle of swimming after the death of their parents, the orphaned flock of fish spontaneously mixed with neighboring groups.
On the head of the arapaima there are glands of a very interesting structure. Outside, they have a number of small, tongue-like protrusions, at the ends of which, with a magnifying glass, tiny holes can be discerned. Through these openings, the mucus formed in the glands is excreted.
The secretion of these glands is not used as food, although this would seem to be the simplest and most obvious explanation for its purpose. It performs much more important functions. Here is an example. When we pulled the male out of the water, the flock accompanying him remained for a long time in the very place from which he had disappeared. And one more thing: a flock of juveniles gathers around a gauze pad, previously soaked in the secretions of the male. From both examples, it follows that the male secretes a relatively stable substance, thanks to which the whole group is held together.
At the age of two and a half - three and a half months, flocks of young animals begin to disintegrate. By this time, the bond between parents and children is weakening.
Residents of the village of Medio Jurua display gutted piraruca at Lake Manaria, Carauari municipality, Amazonas state, Brazil, on September 3, 2012. Piraruku is the largest freshwater fish South America.
While fishing in the net of the inhabitants of the village of Medio Jurua, a caiman was caught. Villagers fishing for piraruca on Lake Manaria, Carauari Municipality, Amazonas State, Brazil, on September 3, 2012. Piraruku is the largest freshwater fish in South America.
The Amazon rainforests have long gained fame as the most dangerous places, where there is a huge number of strange and wonderful creatures, meeting with which does not bode well. However, the threat lurks not only in the forest. The waters of the Amazon River are no less scary. Just look what monsters live there - you will think a million times before you go there!
black caiman
We can say that this is an alligator on steroids, their muscles are much larger, and they can grow up to six meters in length. These are undoubtedly the top predators of the Amazon River, local kings who indiscriminately eat anyone who comes across their path.
Anaconda
Another giant monster of the Amazon is the well-known anaconda, the largest snake in the world. The weight of a female anaconda can reach 250 kilograms, and this is with a length of 9 meters and a diameter of 30 centimeters. These predators prefer shallow water, so most often they can be found not in the river itself, but in its branches.
Arapaima
The huge arapaima predator is equipped with armored scales, so it fearlessly swims among piranhas, eating fish and birds. The length of these terrible fish is almost three meters, and the weight is 90 kilograms. The ferocity of these creatures can be judged by their teeth, which are even on the tongue!
brazilian otter
Brazilian otters grow up to 2 meters in length and feed mainly on fish and crabs. However, the fact that they always hunt in large groups allows them to successfully get more serious prey: there were cases when these harmless-looking creatures killed and ate adult anacondas and even caimans. No wonder they are called "river wolves".
Common vandellia or candiru
bull sharks
Most often, bull sharks live in the salty waters of the ocean, but they feel just as great in fresh water. There were cases when these bloodthirsty predators swam so far along the Amazon that they reached the city (), located almost 4 thousand kilometers from the sea. Considering that sharp teeth and powerful jaws provide these 3-meter-long creatures with a bite force of 589 kilograms, you definitely would not want to meet them, but they are not averse to feasting on a person!
electric eels
We would not advise you to approach them in any case: two-meter creatures are capable of generating electrical discharges with a power of up to 600 volts. And this is 5 times the current in an American outlet and enough to easily knock a horse down. Repeated strikes by these creatures can lead to heart or respiratory failure, causing people to lose consciousness and simply drown in the water.
common piranha
It is difficult to imagine more terrible and ferocious creatures, this is the real quintessence of the horror of the Amazon River. We all know that the sharp teeth of these fish have repeatedly inspired Hollywood directors to create creepy films. However, in fairness, it is worth noting that piranhas are primarily scavengers. But, unfortunately, this does not mean at all that they do not attack healthy creatures. Their incredibly sharp teeth, located on the upper and lower jaws, close very tightly, which makes them an ideal tool for tearing flesh.
Mackerel hydrolic
These meter underwater inhabitants also called vampire fish. On the lower jaw they have two sharp fangs that can grow up to 15 centimeters. They use these devices to literally impale the victim on them after they rush at it. The fangs of these fish are so large that nature had to take care of the safety of the hydrolics themselves. So that they do not pierce themselves with them, they have special holes in the upper jaw.
brown pacu
A fish with human teeth, the brown pacu is a larger relative of the piranha. True, unlike the latter, these freshwater prefer fruits and nuts, although they are generally considered omnivores. The problem is that "stupid" Pacu can't tell the difference between tree nuts and male genitalia, which has left some male swimmers without testicles.
The growth of the catfish is clearly not successful, as a rule, there are no individuals larger than a match. The body is thin, thin, so the fish is almost transparent. Hungry, the candiru begins to look for a victim, and chooses a larger fish. Even in opaque, Amazons have an excellent sense of smell to find it. When the candiru fish feels the characteristic stream of water that the prey throws out through the gills when breathing, and catches the smell of ammonia (a metabolic product of fish, partially excreted by breathing from their body), it rushes forward.
Attack of the victim
Having found a fish, the candiru crawls into the gap directly under the gill cover and then is well fixed in the gills of the victim. The catfish does this with the help of spikes located on the fins, so much so that it is impossible to get rid of it by any means, even the most powerful stream of water that passes through the gills does not help.
Now the candiru fish starts the meal. With skill, she bites a hole in the tissues of fish gills, blood begins to ooze from it, which the catfish feeds on. This explains another name for the candiru - "Brazilian vampire". The fish eats quickly, the time from the start of a meal to full saturation is from thirty seconds to two minutes. The candiru then detaches itself from the victim and floats away.
Human danger
A terrible thing happens when a catfish makes a mistake when choosing a host. The victim may be a human or other mammal, and then the consequences can be the most serious.
Human injuries are very rare, but for those affected, the consequences are extremely severe. In the human body, the candiru feeds on the surrounding tissues and blood, causing the victim to bleed and severe pain. If medical assistance is not provided to the victim in time, catfish damage can lead to death.
Once in the human body, the candiru (fish) cannot get out of it on its own, since people are not typical hosts for catfish. Often, without surgical intervention, the fish cannot be removed from the human ureters. This catfish keeps the natives living along the banks of the Amazon in fear.
Indian Method
Behavioral Features
Regarding what exactly attracts catfish to the human genitals, zoologists have expressed different assumptions. The most plausible version is that the candiru is a fish that is extremely sensitive to the smell of urine: it happened that it attacked a person just a few seconds after he urinated into the water.
However, the catfish does not always penetrate the victim. Sometimes, having overtaken prey, they bite through the skin long teeth and start sucking blood. From this, the body of the fish itself swells and swells. After eating, the catfish sinks to the bottom.
Treatment and consequences
If a person who was struck by a candiru fish does not have an operation in time, he may die. In most cases, surgical intervention passes without serious consequences. The inhabitants of the Amazon coast traditionally use folk treatment. In the place of attachment of the catfish, they introduce the juices of two plants, in particular, genips. As a result of this, the candiru dies, and then decomposes.
Finally
So, now you know that the most feared vertebrate in the tropical rivers of South America is the small candiru fish. It is not found in Russia. If a person performs the process of urination in the muddy waters of the Amazon, the catfish feels a characteristic stream of water, as well as the smell of ammonia contained in human urine. The fish takes it for gills and makes a fatal mistake, penetrating into the human body.