# Arapaima (*Arapaima gigas*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/arapaima  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The arapaima (Arapaima gigas), also called Pirarucu, is a bony fish in the family Arapaimidae and the order Osteoglossiformes. It belongs to the class Teleostei, phylum Chordata and kingdom Animalia, and its scientific name carries the authority (Schinz, 1822). On the IUCN Red List, the arapaima is assessed globally as Data Deficient (DD).

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Data Deficient (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Osteoglossiformes
- family: Arapaimidae
- genus: Arapaima
- species: *Arapaima gigas* (Schinz, 1822)

Synonyms: *Arapaema gigas*, *Arapaima gigas*, *Sudis gigas*, *Sudis gigas*, *Sudis pirarucu*, *Vastres arapaima*, *Vastres cuvieri*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the arapaima?

The arapaima is a fish, specifically a bony fish, in the family Arapaimidae.

### What is the scientific name of the arapaima?

The scientific name of the arapaima is Arapaima gigas, placed in the genus Arapaima.

### Is the arapaima endangered?

The arapaima is listed as Data Deficient (DD) in its global IUCN Red List assessment.

### What is another name for the arapaima?

The arapaima is also called Pirarucu in English.

### What order and class does the arapaima belong to?

The arapaima belongs to the order Osteoglossiformes and the class Teleostei.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Arapaima (Arapaima gigas). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/arapaima