How many types of fish are there in the Amazon River?

While things may seem relatively quiet above the water, Amazon rivers and tributaries teem with more than 3,000 species of fish. As for many other wildlife groups, it is safe to assume that plenty of other species remain to be discovered.

What is the most famous fish found in the Amazon River?

Piranha
Piranha. Speaking of piranhas, these little fish are arguably the most famous fish of the Amazon River, simply because of their reputation as aggressive meat-eaters. This reputation, however, has largely been the result of Hollywood movies like the Piranha series of films.

What is the rarest fish in the Amazon River?

Arapaima
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Family: Osteoglossidae
Subfamily: Arapaiminae
Genus: Arapaima J. P. Müller, 1843

Is a kind freshwater fish found in the Amazon River?

The Arapaima fish is also known as the Pirarucu, is the second freshwater largest fish the world, after the Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso). Its scientific name is Arapaima gigas. This fish can only be found wild in the Amazon River Basin in South America.

How many freshwater fish are in the Amazon?

The Amazon basin contains the largest number of freshwater fish species in the world — more than 3,000 species.

Does the Amazon river have sharks?

We know that when the first Spanish explorers saw the mighty Amazon River they called it “The Great Inland Sea”, but it is full of freshwater. So are there sharks in the Amazon? Surprisingly, the answer is YES – bull sharks.

Do sharks live in the Amazon river?

The bull shark has traveled 4,000 km (2,500 mi) up the Amazon River to Iquitos in Peru and north Bolivia.

Are there piranhas in Amazon River?

Piranhas range from northern Argentina to Colombia, but they are most diverse in the Amazon River, where 20 different species are found. The most infamous is the red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri), with the strongest jaws and sharpest teeth of all.

What sharks live in the Amazon river?

Sharks only live in the sea … don’t they? We know that when the first Spanish explorers saw the mighty Amazon River they called it “The Great Inland Sea”, but it is full of freshwater. So are there sharks in the Amazon? Surprisingly, the answer is YES – bull sharks.

Does the Amazon river have crocodiles?

Today, even the hyper-diverse Amazon only has three species of crocodile — all the more generalized caimans — that live in the same area, and they rarely stay in the same habitats at the same time.

Can you go swimming in the Amazon river?

There are guided tours on the Amazon to see things like the Amazon River Dolphin, some of which apparently will let people swim with them. Based on this, it’s probably safe to swim in those areas, but like any river with wild-life there are no guarantees.

Is there bull sharks in Amazon River?