Hoplias australis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoplias australis |
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The Hoplias australis is a type of fish that lives in freshwater. It's a characin, which is a group of fish that includes piranhas and tetras. This fish is a predator, meaning it hunts and eats other animals. You can find it in the southern parts of South America.
Where This Fish Lives
This special fish makes its home in the southern parts of South America. It lives all throughout the Rio Uruguay river basin. A basin is like a big bowl where all the water flows into one main river. One of its favorite places is the Rio Negro, Uruguay, which is a river that flows into the Rio Uruguay. When we say a species is "endemic" to a place, it means it's only found there and nowhere else in the world. So, the Hoplias australis is unique to this river system.
How it Got its Name
Scientists give every animal a special name, like a first and last name, so everyone knows exactly which creature they are talking about. The Hoplias australis got its scientific name in 2009. Two scientists, Osvaldo Oyakawa and George Mattox, were the ones who officially "described" it. This means they studied the fish, wrote down all its features, and gave it its unique name. They also described another similar fish, the Hoplias curupira, at the same time.
See Also
- In Spanish: Hoplias australis para niños
