Ichthyochory: dispersal by fish A black pacu, or tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), swimming in the Amazon River in Brazil, may disperse seeds and nuts it has eaten. (more) pacu name of several South American fish Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Isabel Brodsky Isabel Brodsky is a Chicago-based journalist, playwright, and comedian. Isabel Brodsky, John P. Rafferty John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to... John P. Rafferty•All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Nov 22, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the primary diet of pacu? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Pacu primarily have an herbivorous diet made up of seeds and nuts, although some species eat small fish and invertebrates occasionally. Unlike in piranhas, their close relatives, the teeth of most pacu species are not sharp and triangular. Rather, they are similar to small human molars, which are designed for crushing and grinding." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How do pacu contribute to their ecosystem? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Pacu contribute to their ecosystem by transporting seeds and nuts in waterways, eating them in one place and depositing them elsewhere through their excrement. Some species have a reputation for outcompeting native fish in areas where pacu have been introduced for use in aquaculture or released by aquarium owners." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What do pacu look like? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Pacu range in size from about 4 cm (1.6 inches) to slightly more than 1 meter (3.3 feet) in length, and they may weigh as much as 40 kg (88.2 pounds). They closely resemble, and are often mistaken for, piranhas, in that they are deep-bodied and plate-shaped, with a narrow head." } } ] } Top Questions What is the primary diet of pacu? Pacu primarily have an herbivorous diet made up of seeds and nuts, although some species eat small fish and invertebrates occasionally. Unlike in piranhas, their close relatives, the teeth of most pacu species are not sharp and triangular. Rather, they are similar to small human molars, which are designed for crushing and grinding.

　　How do pacu contribute to their ecosystem? Pacu contribute to their ecosystem by transporting seeds and nuts in waterways, eating them in one place and depositing them elsewhere through their excrement. Some species have a reputation for outcompeting native fish in areas where pacu have been introduced for use in aquaculture or released by aquarium owners.

　　What do pacu look like? Pacu range in size from about 4 cm (1.6 inches) to slightly more than 1 meter (3.3 feet) in length, and they may weigh as much as 40 kg (88.2 pounds). They closely resemble, and are often mistaken for, piranhas, in that they are deep-bodied and plate-shaped, with a narrow head.

　　pacu, any of several ostariophysan fishes native to rivers and other waterways in South America and classified with piranhas in the family Serrasalmidae (formerly a subfamily within the characin family, Characidae). Some pacu species are used as food fishes or aquarium fishes. Other species (such as the red-bellied pacu [Piaractus brachypomus] and the silver pacu [Colossoma brachypomus]) have a reputation for outcompeting native fishes in areas where these pacu have been introduced for aquaculture or released by aquarium owners (see also invasive species). The term pacu may refer specifically to P. mesopotamicus, a species native to the rivers and seasonal ...(100 of 1091 words)

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