Piramutaba

Length Category:  Medium (40-100 cm)

Trophic Level:  Predator-fish

Migratory Pattern:  Long Distance (1,000 km +)

Spawning Period:  All periods

Export Market:  International (outside South America)

Market Status:  Second class

Catch Distribution:

Piramutaba potential yield was estimated to be 22,150 tons. The Estuary region (77%) accounts for most of the catch, followed by Central Amazon (15%), Peruvian Amazon (6%) and Brazilian-Colombian-Peruvian Border (4%).

Natural History Notes:

The piramutaba is most abundant in the freshwater part of the estuary but adults migrate upstream to spawn in the western Amazon, and perhaps even in the Andean foothills as schools have recently been discovered there. Adult piramutaba are piscivorous whereas young eat fish and shrimp in the estuary.