Ucayali ( Spanish pronunciation: [ukaˈʝali] ) is an inland department and region of Peru . Located in the Amazon rainforest , its name is derived from the Ucayali River. Its capital is the city of Pucallpa . It is the second largest department in Peru, after Loreto , and it is slightly larger than South Korea .
31-577: The arapaima is depicted on both the flag and the seal of the region The department of Ucayali is bordered by the Brazilian state of Acre on the east; the department of Madre de Dios on the southeast; Cusco on the south; Junín , Pasco and Huánuco on the west; and Loreto on the north. According to the 2007 Census , the Ucayali department has a population of 432,159 inhabitants, 51.4% of which (222,132) are male and 48.6% (210,027) are female. 75.3% of
62-409: A Bouligand -type arrangement. In a structure similar to plywood, the fibres in each successive layer are oriented at large angles to those in the previous layer, increasing toughness. The hard, corrugated surface of the outer layer, and the tough internal collagen layers work synergistically to contribute to their ability to flex and deform while providing strength and protection—a solution that allows
93-432: A biorepository for research. Such a specimen would be taken by sampling so as to be representative of any other specimen taken from the source of the specimen. When biological specimens are stored, ideally they remain equivalent to freshly-collected specimens for the purposes of research. Human biological specimens are stored in a type of biorepository called a biobank , and the science of preserving biological specimens
124-452: A 30 kg specimen was found floating in the river in Angkor Wat area, Krovanh village, Sangkat Norkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia ; the locals said it was a rare fish, and not commonly seen in this area. With catch-and-release after the fish is landed, it must be held for 5 minutes until it takes a breath. The fish has a large blood vessel running down its spine, so lifting the fish clear of
155-461: A nest about 50 cm (20 in) wide and 15 cm (5.9 in) deep, usually in muddy-bottomed areas. As the water rises, the eggs hatch and the offspring have the flood season from May to August in which to prosper, such that yearly spawning is regulated seasonally. The arapaima male is a mouthbrooder , like the related Osteoglossum genus, meaning the young are protected in his mouth until they are older. The female arapaima helps to protect
186-442: A sampling of 10 areas conducted using traditional counting methods, the population was found to have grown from 2,500 in 1999 to over 170,000 in 2017. Colombia only bans fishing and consumption of the arapaima between October 1 and March 15, during breeding season. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Biological specimen A biological specimen (also called a biospecimen ) is a biological laboratory specimen held by
217-571: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Arapaima 4–5, see text The arapaima , pirarucu , or paiche is any large species of bonytongue in the genus Arapaima native to the Amazon and Essequibo basins of South America. Arapaima is the type genus of the subfamily Arapaiminae within the family Osteoglossidae . They are among the world's largest freshwater fish, reaching as much as 3 m (9.8 ft) in length. They are an important food fish. They have declined in
248-522: Is an air breather , using its labyrinth organ , which is rich in blood vessels and opens into the fish's mouth, an advantage in oxygen-deprived water that is often found in the Amazon River . This fish is able to survive in oxbow lakes with dissolved oxygen as low as 0.5 ppm. In the wetlands of the Araguaia , one of the most important refuges for this species, it is the top predator in such lakes during
279-588: Is critical for some studies and can be assessed by gel electrophoresis . Also biobanks, which do specimen storage, cannot take full responsibility for specimen integrity, because before they take custody of samples someone must collect and process them and effects such as RNA degradation are more likely to occur from delayed sample processing than inadequate storage. Biorepositories store various types of specimens. Different specimens are useful for different purposes. Many specimens in biobanks are cryopreserved . Other specimens are stored in other ways. Some of
310-471: Is deemed impossible, and thus considered questionable. As a result of overfishing, arapaima more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) are seldom found in the wild. The arapaima is torpedo -shaped, with large, blackish-green scales and red markings. It is streamlined and sleek, with its dorsal and anal fins set near its tail. Arapaima scales have a mineralised, hard, outer layer with a corrugated surface under which lie several layers of collagen fibres in
341-485: Is grated and mixed into water. Doses are given to kill intestinal worms . The bony tongue is used to scrape cylinders of dried guarana, an ingredient in some beverages, and the bony scales are used as nail files. Arapaima produce boneless steaks and are considered a delicacy. In the Amazon region, locals often salt and dry the meat, rolling it into a cigar-style package that is then tied and can be stored without rotting, which
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#1732852363035372-494: Is important in a region with little refrigeration. Arapaima are referred to as the "cod of the Amazon", and can be prepared in the same way as traditional salted cod. Designers have begun using the skin of the arapaima as leather to make jackets, shoes, and handbags, and to cover furniture. In July 2009, villagers around Kenyir Lake in Terengganu , Malaysia, reported sighting A. gigas . The "Kenyir monster", or "dragon fish" as
403-428: Is most active in the field of biobanking. Setting broad standards for quality of biological specimens was initially an underdeveloped aspect of biobank growth. There is currently discussion on what standards should be in place and who should manage those standards. Since many organizations set their own standards and since biobanks are necessarily used by multiple organizations and typically are driven towards expansion,
434-641: The Miocene Villavieja Formation of Colombia . Museum specimens are found in France, England, the United States, Brazil, Guyana, Ecuador and Perú. This makes them some of the oldest known species of freshwater fish. Arapaima is exploited in many ways by local human populations. Its tongue is thought to have medicinal qualities in South America. It is dried and combined with guarana bark, which
465-599: The aquarium trade . The remaining species are virtually unknown: A. agassizii from old detailed drawings (the type specimen itself was lost during World War II bombings) and A. mapae from the type specimen. FishBase recognizes four species in the genus. In addition to these, evidence suggests that a fifth species, A. arapaima , should be recognized (this being the widespread, well-known species, otherwise included in A. gigas ). These fish are widely dispersed and do not migrate, which leads scientists to suppose that more species are waiting to be discovered in
496-552: The Australasian Biospecimen Network have also proposed policies and standards. In 2008 AFNOR , a French standardization organization, published the first biobank-specific quality standard. Aspects of ISO 9000 have been applied to biobanks. Quality criteria for specimens depends on the study being considered and there is not a universal standard specimen type. DNA integrity is an important factor for studies which involve whole genome amplification. RNA integrity
527-516: The arapaima needs to surface to breathe air, traditional arapaima fishermen harpoon them and then club them to death. An individual fish can yield as much as 70 kg (150 lb) of meat. The arapaima was introduced for fishing in Thailand and Malaysia . Fishing in Thailand can be done in several lakes, where specimens over 150 kg (330 lb) are often landed and then released. On 14 May 2020,
558-596: The arapaima population in the Amazon River Basin is unknown, hence it is listed on the IUCN red list as data deficient . Conducting a population census in so large an area is difficult, as is monitoring catches in a trade that was once largely unregulated . Since 1999, both subsistence and commercial fishing have been permitted in specially designated areas under a sophisticated sustainable management strategy. This approach has led to massive recovery of once-depleted stocks; in
589-579: The depths of the Amazon Basin harbors. Sites such as these offer the likelihood of diversity. Arapaima can reach lengths more than 2 m (6 ft 7 in), in some exceptional cases even exceeding 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) and over 100 kg (220 lb). The maximum recorded weight for the species is 200 kg (440 lb), while the longest recorded length verified was 3.07 m (10 ft 1 in). Anecdotal reports suggest that specimens as long as 4.57 m (15 ft 0 in) exist, but verification
620-412: The fish to remain mobile while heavily armored. The arapaima has a fundamental dependence on surface air to breathe. In addition to gills, it has a modified and enlarged swim bladder , composed of lung -like tissue, which enables it to extract oxygen from the air. The diet of the arapaima consists of fish, crustaceans , fruits, seeds, insects, and small land animals that walk near the shore. The fish
651-744: The harmonization of standard operating procedures for lab practices are a high priority. The procedures have to be evidence-based and will change with time as new research and technology becomes available. Some progress for the creation of policy-making organizations include the National Cancer Institute 's 2005 creation of the Office of Biobanking and Biospecimen Research (OBBR) and the annual Biospecimen Research Network Symposia. The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories , International Agency for Research on Cancer, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , and
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#1732852363035682-520: The height of commercial arapaima fishing; demand led to farming of the fish by native ribeirinhos . As efforts at restricting catches were largely unsuccessful, arapaima fishing was banned outright in Brazil in 1996, due to declining populations. Indeed, a 2014 study found that the fish were depleted or overexploited at 93% of the sites examined and well-managed or unfished in only 7%; the fish appeared to be extirpated in 19% of these sites. The status of
713-686: The locals call it, was claimed to be responsible for the mysterious drowning of two men on 17 June. In August 2018, India Times reported that arapaima has been spotted in the Chalakudy River , following floods in Kerala ; their presence in India is attributed to illegal importation for fish farming . The arapaima is depicted on both the flag and the seal of the Department of Ucayali , Peru . Wild arapaima are harpooned or caught in large nets. Since
744-513: The low-water season, when the lakes are isolated from the rivers and oxygen levels drop, rendering its prey lethargic and vulnerable. Arapaima may leap out of the water if they feel constrained by their environment or harassed. Due to its geographic ranges , arapaima's lifecycle is greatly affected by seasonal flooding . Various pictures show slightly different coloring owing to colour changes when they reproduce. The arapaima lays its eggs when water levels are low or beginning to rise. They build
775-481: The male and the young by circling them and fending off potential predators. In his book, Three Singles to Adventure , naturalist Gerald Durrell reported that in British Guyana , female arapaima had been seen secreting a white substance from a gland in the head, and that their young were seemingly feeding on the substance. Some 23-million-year-old fossils of arapaima or a very similar species have been found in
806-507: The native range due to overfishing and habitat loss. In contrast, arapaima have been introduced to several tropical regions outside the native range (within South America and elsewhere), where they are sometimes considered invasive species . In Kerala , India, arapaima escaped from aquaculture ponds after floods in 2018 . Its Portuguese name, pirarucu , derives from the Tupi language words pira and urucum , meaning "red fish". Arapaima
837-501: The population (325,347) live in urban areas while the remaining 24.7% (106,812) live in rural areas. As of 2002, the Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática estimated the department's population to be 468,922. Spanish is spoken as a first language by 87.6% of the population, while 4.1% speak Asháninka , 1.5% speak Quechua and 0.1% speak Aymara . Other indigenous languages , including Shipibo , are spoken by 6.6% of
868-549: The population and 0.0% speak foreign languages. Persons originating from other departments of the country make up 34.7% of the population and 0.2% of residents were born abroad. The largest immigrant groups come from the Loreto Region (12.5% of the total population). The population is spread out, with 53.9% under the age of 20, 9.3% from 20 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 8.8% from 45 to 64, and 2.5% who are 65 years of age or older. Secondary education has been attended by 29% of
899-535: The population and 2.3% also have graduated from non- university higher education, while 1.7% have complete university studies. 49.3% only have attended primary education and 9.1% have not had any education. The illiteracy rate in the region is 14.2% The department is divided into 4 provinces ( Spanish : provincias , singular: provincia ), which are composed of 14 districts ( distritos , singular: distrito ). The provinces, with their capitals in parentheses, are: This Ucayali Region geography article
930-798: The water for trophy shots can rupture this vessel, causing death. In 2013, Whole Foods began selling farm-raised arapaima in the United States as a cheaper alternative to halibut or Chilean sea bass . In Thailand, the only legal breeding farm is located in Tambon Phrong Maduea, Amphoe Mueang Nakhon Pathom , Nakhon Pathom Province . This has been approved by both the Department of Fisheries and CITES since early 2018, and has been exporting them worldwide as an aquarium fish. Arapaima are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because of their size and because they must surface periodically to breathe. Some 7000 tons per year were taken from 1918 to 1924,
961-434: Was traditionally regarded as a monotypic genus , but later, several species were distinguished. As a consequence of this taxonomic confusion, most earlier studies were done using the name A. gigas , but this species is only known from old museum specimens and the exact native range is unclear. The regularly seen and studied species is A. arapaima , although a small number of A. leptosoma also have been recorded in