Arowana

For the arowana from Africa, see African arowana.

Arowana
Silver arowana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Family: Osteoglossidae
Subfamily: Osteoglossinae
Bonaparte, 1831
Genera

Arowanas are freshwater bony fish of the subfamily Osteoglossinae, also known as bony tongues[1] (the latter name is now often reserved for Arapaiminae).[2] In this family of fish, the head is bony and the elongated body is covered by large, heavy scales, with a mosaic pattern of canals. The dorsal and anal fins have soft rays and are long based, while the pectoral and ventral fins are small. The name "bonytongues" is derived from a toothed bone on the floor of the mouth, the "tongue", equipped with teeth that bite against teeth on the roof of the mouth. The arowana is a facultative air breather and can obtain oxygen from air by sucking it into its swim bladder, which is lined with capillaries like lung tissue.[3]

Red Asian arowana in a public aquarium
  1. ^ Allen, G. R.; Midgley, S. H.; Allen, M. (2002). Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth: Western Australia Museum. pp. 56–58. ISBN 0-7307-5486-3.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Arapaimidae". FishBase. July 2014 version.
  3. ^ Berra, Tim M. (2001). Freshwater Fish Distribution. San Diego: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-093156-7.