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New genus of electric fish found in remote area of South America

Published: Sept. 26, 2013 at 4:55 PM, Source

TORONTO, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- A new genus of electric fish was identified in a remote of South America, an international team of researchers said.

The Akawaio penak, a thin, eel-like electric fish, was discovered in the shallow, murky waters of the upper Mazaruni River in northern Guyana, the University of Toronto-Scarborough said earlier this week in a release.

Professor Nation Lovejoy's team at the University of Toronto-Scarborough analysed tissue samples collected during a recent expedition by a team of researchers led by Hernan Lopez-Fernandez at the Royal Ontario Museum.

By sequencing its DNA and reconstructing an evolutionary tree, Lovejoy's team discovered the fish that is so distinct it represents a new genus, the university said.

"The fact this area is so remote and has been isolated for such a long time means you are quite likely to find new species," Lovejoy said.

The upper Mazaruni River, a hot spot for biological diversity, remains largely unexplored because of its remote location, the university said Tuesday in its release. The area contains countless rivers on top of uplands that have remained isolated from the rest of South America for more than 30 million years.

The Akawaio penak, named in honor of the Akawaio Amerindians that populate the upper Mazaruni, has a long organ running along the base of the body that produces an electric field, researchers said. While the electric field is too weak to stun prey, it is used to navigate, detect objects and to communicate with other electric fish.

"The Mazaruni contains many unique species that aren't found anywhere else in the world," Lovejoy said. "It's an extremely important area in South America in terms of biodiversity."

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Former Member

Man reels in 10-inch 'cousin' of piranha from N.J. lake

A pacu, similar to one a man caught in a Passaic lake. (Facebook)
By The Associated Press
on September 24, 2013 at 10:45 AM, updated September 25, 2013 at 9:24 AM

PASSAIC — A fisherman got a surprise when he hooked a fish in a northern New Jersey lake.
His 10-inch catch turned out to be a pacu, which is a gentler cousin of piranhas found in South America's Amazon River.
The fish Tom Boylan landed in Passaic's Third Ward Veterans Memorial Park had rounded teeth, and an orange belly and fins.
He turned to an aquarium supply store for answers.
Absolutely Fish manager Pat Egan tells NorthJersey.com someone most likely had the pacu in their fish tank and dumped it when it became too big.
Egan says the store doesn't sell the fish because they can grow up to 4 feet long. Pacus eat vegetation and nuts unlike piranhas, which will feed on flesh.
There is one issue with the pacus' affinity for nuts, though. They have occasionallyconfused nuts for a men's testicles, the report said.

It is said that mitjuanita had his testicles bitten off by a pacu, hence his affinity for lil bais and turning to a pedophile.

9/26/136:52 PM

Former Member

A Pirana look-alike fish finds human testicles as a delicatessen. They don't bite you anywhere else but your balls. The story came from the Far East where human find animal testicles as a delicatessen. Do you know what I said? What is good for the goose good for the ganders? Or, as old people say. Do fuh do nah obyah.

9/26/137:22 PM

Former Member

QUOTE: "The Akawaio penak, named in honor of the Akawaio Amerindians that populate the upper Mazaruni, has a long organ running along the base of the body that produces an electric field, researchers said. While the electric field is too weak to stun prey, it is used to navigate, detect objects and to communicate with other electric fish."

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Akawaio penak's electric field too weak.

Who knows, somewhere in that Mazaruni or neighbouring area there lies an undiscovered Amaila penak species with very strong electric field.