The great Amazon River has thousands of tributaries that run through the lush Amazon rainforest. The river channels vary according to the area in which we find ourselves, that is why we will find some narrow and shallow in depth and others very extensive and deep.
Life in the River is spectacular, we find a great variety of both animal and plant species . But as the subject that concerns us today is the fauna that rests in it, we will share below some of the many species that live on and in the Amazon River.
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- Piranhas: they measure between 15 and 25cm. long, although larger specimens have been found. They are known for their sharp teeth and insatiable carnivorous appetite.
- Electric Eel: can emit electric shocks of up to 600 volts. And it uses this type of discharge to hunt prey, to defend itself and to communicate with others of the same species.
- Jacana: 20 cm aquatic animal. approx. long, it is carnivorous, it eats mainly insects and invertebrates and its predators are alligators and anacondas.
- Arawana : hunting fish that has the ability to jump almost a meter out of the water to capture its prey, generally insects, which are found on the banks of the River.
- Bromeliad: epiphytic plant that grows in the Amazon River, whose flowers have a very deep calyx.
- Hummingbird: It looks characteristic of America, although it is found mainly in tropical areas. It feeds on the nectar of the flowers and despite living in a cinjunto it is preserved independently. It is the smallest bird in the world, weighing just two grams, has a long, narrow beak, and a trunk-shaped tongue.
Angel Of The Sea: transparent mollusk, lacking a shell, which when swimming moves appendages that are reminiscent of small angel wings. It is a kind of sea slug that, contrary to its name, when catching a prey you quickly remove its six hooked tentacles from its head, grabbing its prey and severing its entire body until leaving only its shell.- Postman Butterfly : This butterfly lays its eggs only on the leaves of the passiflora, a climbing silver, on which the larvae will then feed once the eggs hatch.
- Amazon Kingfisher: Bird that measures 29 to 30 centimeters long and weighs approximately 110 grams. It has the shape of the typical kingfisher (short tail and long beak). The female is olive green on top and head, and also has a crest. While the male has a white underside, a reddish chestnut (broad band) and some gular green stripes. They dive into the river in search of their favorite prey, the fish.
- Blue Macaw: A threatened bird that thanks to preservation work we can enjoy it. He lives together with others of the same species and once he chooses his mate, he spends the rest of his life with her (about 50 years approx.). It feeds on fruits and seeds, preferably large and its characteristic color is blue.
- Owl Butterfly : butterfly that weighs between 0.9 and 1.5 for the male and 0.8 and 1.3 kg for the female. It measures up to 17 cm and can live for as little as 2 or 3 months. It is herbivorous and its predators are mainly birds and the fly Wintemia spp.
- Chick Spider: It measures between 5 and 7 cm in length without measuring its legs, it is black or brown in color and its body is completely covered with hair. They are found under rocks and can live 30 years in captivity. They are not dangerous for man, although there have been cases in which after rubbing it, hairs have entered the mucous membranes and have suffered irritation.
- Tetras: fish that measures 4.5 cm. long, it is coolor red on the belly with an electric blue stripe from the head to the tail fin. It is a peaceful fish that lives in groups, it prefers murky waters densely populated with vegetation. Their diet is mainly based on mosquito larvae, worms, brine shrimp, etc.
- Crane – A picturesque bird that feeds on reptiles, grains, and insects. It is a special type of Gruya that although its step seems slow when there is danger, it runs very fast and takes flight after having run for a while with its wings extended.
- Parasol Ants : a special type of ants that stand out for their ability to capture ants of other species and make them their slaves since, due to the shape of their jaw, they are unable to provide their food by themselves.
- Piracucú: one of the largest fish freshwater in the world. It can measure more than 3 m. long and weigh about 250 kg. Since at certain times of the year it lives in low-oxygenated waters every hour it must take a “breath of air” to be able to continue. It feeds on other fish and small land animals jumping out of the water or taking advantage of when they fall into the water.
