Arapaim'a

Arapaim'a, a genus of tropical fishes, including the largest known fresh-water forms. They are found in the rivers of South America, and are sometimes taken in the Rio Negro, 15 feet in length, and 4 cwt. in weight. They are shot with arrows or harpooned, and are highly esteemed as food; salted, they are conveyed in large quantities to Para. The genus Arapaima belongs to the family Osteoglossidae, allied to the Clupeidae or herring, and is remarkable for the mosaic work of strong bony scales with which the body is covered. The head is also protected by bony armature. Osteoglossum and Heterotis are closely related genera, found in various parts of the tropics.