Brachyplatystoma vaillantii
| Brachyplatystoma vaillantii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Pimelodidae |
| Genus: | Brachyplatystoma |
| Species: | B. vaillantii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Brachyplatystoma vaillantii (Valenciennes, 1840)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Brachyplatystoma vaillantii, the Laulao catfish, piramutaba or piramuta, is a species of catfish of the family Pimelodidae that is native to Amazon and Orinoco River basins and major rivers of the Guianas and northeastern Brazil.[2][3]
Etymology
The fish is named in honor of François Levaillant (1753-1824) a French explorer, naturalist and zoological collector, who brought the type specimens to Europe.[4]
Description
It grows to a length of 150 centimetres (59 in), though is more commonly 80 centimetres (31 in).[2] Dorsum dark to light grey or brown, no spots or stripes. Ventrum much paler to give striking counter shading.[5] It is the sister species to all other species in the genus,[6] and the type species.
Distribution
It is a much widespread species that is found in rivers and estuaries of Amazon and Orinoco watersheds, Guianas and northeastern Brazil.[3]
Ecology
It is found in both freshwater and brackish water systems. It is a demersal potamodromous fish commonly inhabits muddy waters and deeper, flowing channels. Developing young are carried downriver by the current,[7] ending up in estuaries.[8] Juveniles and sub adults are migratory.[3] It is entirely piscivorous preying on loricariids and other bottom-dwelling fish.[5][9]
Relation to humans
B. vaillantii is extremely important for local fisheries, often being the most caught fish by weight in Brazil,[10] with a peak recorded catch of 29 thousand tons in the 1970s. Afterwards, the piramutaba stocks had shown signs of depletion, and subsequent recovery.[8][11]
References
- ^ Salvador, G.N. (2024). "Brachyplatystoma vaillantii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T49829992A91630636. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T49829992A91630636.en. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Brachyplatystoma vaillantii". FishBase. June 2020 version.
- ^ a b c "Cat-eLog - Pimelodidae - Brachyplatystoma vaillantii". Planet Catfish. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (16 September 2024). "Family PIMELODIDAE Bonaparte 1835 (Long-whiskered Catfishes)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Brachyplatystoma vaillantii (VALENCIENNES, 1840) - Piramuta". Seriously Fish. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- ^ Lundberg, John G.; Akama, Alberto (2005). Buth, D. (ed.). "Brachyplatystoma capapretum: a New Species of Goliath Catfish from the Amazon Basin, with a Reclassification of Allied Catfishes (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae)". Copeia. 2005 (3): 492–516. doi:10.1643/CI-04-036R1. S2CID 85923139.
- ^ Rojas, María; Olivera, Robinson; Quispe, Roberto; Hernán, Ortega (July 2007). "Estudio preliminar de ictioplancton de la Amazonia peruana con énfasis en la familia Pimelodidae" [Preliminary study of the Peruvian Amazon ichthyoplankton with emphasis on the Pimelodidae family]. Revista Peruana de Biología (in Spanish). 13 (3). Peru Biol.: 263–266. doi:10.15381/rpb.v13i3.2354.
- ^ a b Jimenez, Erica Antunez; Filho, Mutsuo Asano; Frédou, Flávia Lucena (June 2013). "FISH BYCATCH OF THE LAULAO CATFISH Brachyplatystoma vaillantii (VALENCIENNES, 1840) TRAWL FISHERY IN THE AMAZON ESTUARY". Brazilian Journal of Oceanography. 61 (2): 129–140. doi:10.1590/S1679-87592013000200005.
- ^ Lopes, Taise Miranda; da Câmara, Luís Fernando; Dufech, A. P. S. (2017). CARACTERIZAÇÃO DA DIETA DA PIRAMUTABA Brachyplatystoma vaillantii (SILURIFORMES: PIMELODIDAE), NO RIO MADEIRA, RONDÔNIA, BRASIL [CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DIET OF THE PIRAMUTABA Brachyplatystoma vaillantii (SILURIFORMES: PIMELODIDAE), IN THE MADEIRA RIVER, RONDÔNIA, BRAZIL]. XXII BRAZILIAN MEETING OF ICTIOLOGY (in Brazilian Portuguese). Porto Seguro: Neotropical Consultoria Ambiental – via ResearchGate.
- ^ Araujo-Lima, C.A.R.M.; M.L. Ruffino (2003). "Migratory Fishes of the Brazilian Amazon". In Carolsfeld, J.; B. Harvey; C. Ross; A. Baer (eds.). Migratory Fishes of South America. pp. 233–302. ISBN 9781552501146.
- ^ "Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profiles The Federative Republic of Brazil". fao.org. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 10 November 2024.