Arapaima
Scientific name: Arapaima gigas
Average lifespan
15 to 20 years
Size
Up to 4.5 m
Distribution
South America
Did you know?
Arapaimas consume mostly fish as their main diet. They also eat fruits, seeds, insects, birds, and mammals that can be found on the water surface.
Arapaima’s mouth works like a vacuum as they will open their mouth to suck up nearby food or prey.
Alligator Garfish
Scientific name: Lepisosteus spatula
Average lifespan
Up to 50 years
Size
Up to 3.0 m
Distribution
South-eastern United States
Did you know?
Alligator garfish are known to live and well-adapted in water with low oxygen levels.
They have thick air bladder that functions as a lung and also helps to regulate their buoyancy.
They may obtain as much as 70 percent of the needed oxygen from the atmosphere.