{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{for|the related species also known as payara|Hydrolycus armatus}} {{Speciesbox | image = Hydrolycus scomberoides by OpenCage.jpg | image_caption = at Toba Aquarium, Japan | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author=Salvador, G.N. |year=2023 |title=''Hydrolycus scomberoides'' |article-number=e.T49830234A91630388 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T49830234A91630388.en |access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> | taxon = Hydrolycus scomberoides | authority = (Cuvier, 1819)<ref>{{ITIS |id=639859 |taxon=Hydrolycus scomberoides |accessdate=19 October 2017}}</ref> | synonyms = {{Specieslist | Hydrocyon scomberoides | Cuvier, 1819 | Cynodon pectoralis | Günther, 1866 }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Cof genus">{{Cof genus|genus=Hydrolycus|access-date=17 July 2025}}</ref> }}
The '''payara''' ('''''Hydrolycus scomberoides''''') is a species of dogtooth tetra. This predatory fish is found in the Amazon Basin in tropical South America.<ref name=FishBase>{{FishBase|genus=Hydrolycus|species=scomberoides|year=2005|month=October}}</ref><ref name=seriuslyfish>{{cite web|website=SeriouslyFish|url=http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/hydrolycus-scomberoides/ |title=''Hydrolycus scomberoides''|access-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> It was the first of four species to be described in the genus ''Hydrolycus''.<ref name=Toledo1999>{{cite journal |author1=Toledo-Piza, M. |author2=N.A. Menezes |author3=G.M. Santos | year=1999 | title=Revision of the Neotropical fish genus ''Hydrolycus'' (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Cynodontidae) with the description of two new species | journal=Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters | volume=10 | issue=3 | pages=255–280 }}</ref>
==Description== The most noticeable feature of ''H. scomberoides'' is the two long fangs protruding from its lower jaw. These are used to impale its prey, mostly smaller fish.<ref name=seriuslyfish/> It typically reaches a standard length of about {{cvt|30|cm|ft|1}},<ref name=seriuslyfish/><ref name=Toledo1999/><ref>{{cite web | title=Payara—''Hydrolycus scomberoides'' | url=http://www.acuteangling.com/amazon-gamefish/fishing-payara/species/hydrolycus-scomberoides.html | publisher=Acute Angling | access-date=19 October 2017 }}</ref> but can reach up to {{cvt|51|cm|ftin}}.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Brambilla |author2=Garcia-Ayala |author3=Travassos |author4=Carvalho |author5=David | year=2015 | title=Length-weight relationships of the main commercial fish species of Tucuruí reservoir (Tocantins/Araguaia basin, Brazil) | journal=Boletim do Instituto de Pesca | volume=41 | issue=3 | pages=665–670 }}</ref> Reports exist of far larger individuals, up to {{cvt|117|cm|ftin}} in total length<ref name=FishBase/> and {{cvt|17.8|kg|lboz}} in weight, based on records by IGFA,<ref>{{cite web|title=Payara |website=The International Game Fish Association |url=https://igfa.org/member-services/world-record/common-name/Payara |access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> but this likely involves confusion with the related ''H. armatus''.<ref name=seriuslyfish/><ref name=Toledo1999/>
''H. scomberoides'' is overall silvery with a dark spot behind the opercle and another at the lower base of the pectoral fin. In adults, the tail is dusky on the basal half, turning paler (more transparent) towards the tip.<ref name=Toledo1999/><ref>{{cite web | title=Subfamily Cynodontinae | url=https://opefe.com/hydrolycus.html | publisher=OPEFE | access-date=19 October 2017 | archive-date=20 August 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820221653/http://opefe.com/hydrolycus.html }}</ref>
==In the aquarium== The payara, which is also sold as the sabertooth barracuda, vampire fish, vampire tetra, or sabertusk barracuda, is a popular species for large, aggressive aquaria. It requires a large aquarium and can only be mixed with relatively large species, as smaller fish will be seen as potential prey.<ref name=seriuslyfish/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q737277}}
Category:Hydrolycus Category:Game fish Category:Fish of the Amazon basin Category:Tetras of Brazil Category:Freshwater fish of Colombia Category:Fish described in 1819 Category:Taxa named by Georges Cuvier