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The Angler's Guide to Payara

	Giant Amazon Payara
	Payara Home Page
	Payara Taxonomy
	World Record Payara

	Payara Species
	Hydrolycus armatus
	Hydrolycus scomberoides
	Hydrolycus tatauaia
	Hydrolycus wallacei
	Rhapiodon vulpinus
	Other Cynodontidae

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Amazon Payara Taxonomy

Payara Classification Overview

Payara belong to the order Characiformes.
Together with the Catfishes (Order Siluriformes), the Characins account for almost 90% of the fish species diversity of the Amazon. And diverse is exactly what they are, both morphologically and ecologically. They range in size from minuscule 13mm long tetras to 80 pound plus tambaqui and meter long payara and trairao. They range in shape from some of the roundest fish in the world to some of the most elongate. They include the curimatidae, bottom favoring detritus feeders with no teeth at all; to the piranhas, whose teeth we're all well aware of. They also include some of the mildest mannered community dwellers and aquarium favorites to some of the fiercest and most exciting gamefish in the world.

Taxonomic Grouping	Latin Descriptor	English Translation

Kingdom	Animalia	animals
Phylum	Chordata	with spinal cords
Subphylum	Vertebrata	with back bones
Superclass	Gnathostoma	jawed vertebrates
Grade	Osteichthes	bony fishes
Class	Actinopterygii	ray-finned fishes
Division	Teleostei	completed bones
Subdivision	Ostarioclupeiomorpha	bone-shield-form
Superorder	Ostariophysi	bone-bladder
Series	Otophysi	ear-bladder
Order	Characiformes	Characins

Payara belong to the family Cynodontidae

Cynodontidae

Highlighted by the fantastic payara, this family is readily recognized by their oblique mouths, exaggerated canines and their well-developed pectoral fins. Several species are encountered by anglers. Within the genus Hydrolicus, anglers pursue the giant payara (H. armatus) primarily in fast-moving rivers. Anglers may also encounter the smaller H. scomberoides in lowlands rivers. Both are known as pirandira in Brazil. The more elongate and more widely distributed Rhaphiodon vulpinus is also sought by anglers. Called biara or chafalote, they provide excellent sport on light tackle.

Cynodontidae Subfamilies

Cynodontinae	This subfamily of 8 species includes the genera Cynodon, Hydrolycus and Rhapiodon. These include the largest species and possess the longest canines of the family.
Roestinae	This subfamily of 6 species includes the genera Gilbertolus and Roestes.

Preserved specimens photographed at INPA (National Institute of Amazon Research), Manaus, Brazil

References;

Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (06/2009).

Géry, J. 1977. Characoids of the world. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.

Mattox, G. M. T, Toledo-Piza, M., Oyakawa, O. T. and Armbruster, J. W., Taxonomic Study of Hoplias Aimara (Valenciennes, 1846) and Hoplias macrophthalmus (Pellegrin, 1907) (Ostariophysi, Characiformes, Erythrinidae), Copeia, 2006, 3, 516-528.

Nelson J, (2006) Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA

Reis, R. E., S.O. Kullander, and C. J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) 2003. Check List of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS. Brasil. 620-621.

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