The Amazon River in South America, by volume, is the largest river. It also Happens to be the
second longest river in the world. More than 3,oo0 species of marine life, especially fish, live in the Amazon River.
The number of marine life species keeps growing and can sometimes go above 5,ooo. A diverse wildlife is also
supported by the Amazon River and it starts with the Orinoco, one of the longest rivers in South America. The Boto,
which is also referred to as the Amazon River Dolphin, uses the river as its main habitat. The Amazon marine life
also includes the famous fish, the Piranha. This carnivorous mammal is found in the basin of the river. The Bull
Shark has been reported to be 2,200 miles up the Amazon River at Iquitos, Peru. Another marine life attraction of
the Amazon River is the Arapaima or pirarucu South American tropical freshwater fish. In the shallow water of the
Amazon River the largest species of the Anaconda snake is found. Some other reptiles and mammals such as a
thousand species of crab, fish, turtles and algae. The basin of the Amazon River is known for marine species that are
unique and that are available in different forms.
Because the west coast of South America is one of the ocean's richest nutrient
sources combines with the cold currents from the Antarctic, it makes an ideal area for the
development of plankton (a weakly swimming animal and plant life, such as various larvae and
blue-green algae, in a body of water). One very interesting specie of plant life that lives in the
Amazon river is the Amazon water lily. the Amazon water lily grows in the sticky mud that covers
the bottom of the river. The most interesting part about this plant is that not only does in need
sunlight while underwater but it also requires oxygen to live. Obviously oxygen doesn't exist
underwater but the Amazon water lily stretches out stems. Which are developed from their roots,
up toward the surface of the water where their leaves float. The leaves that float act as an oxygen
carrying system that sends oxygen from the surface down to the roots below. These stems can
grow as tall as 11 meters (about 36 feet).
According to many accounts the Amazon River was named by the Spanish
explorer Francisco do Orellana in 1541. the name was honor of the female warriors called
"Icamiabas" which means "women without husbands". These female warriors attacked Francisco
de Orellana while on his voyage through the territory previously referred to as Maranon.
therefore he named the river "Rio Amazonas" after those women. The Amazon River and basin
geologically, are contained by two large masses of Pre-Cambrian rock, to the north the Highlands
or Guiana Shield, to the south the Plateau or the Central Brazilian Shield; to the west the Andes
Mountains; and it flows to the Atlantic Ocean to empty which is eastward. The rate at which the
Amazon River flows has an average velocity of 1.5 miles per hour, the flow rate increases
exponentially during floods. The discharge at the mouth of the Amazon River is measured to be
about eight trillion gallons a day, which is eleven time that of the Mississippi and sixty times that
of that Nile. 6,350,000 cubic feet per second is the annual average discharge into the Atlantic,
during a flood it can rise over 7,000,000 cubic feet per second. The Amazon River's mouth is
more than 250 miles wide. Although some areas near the mouth of the river have been recorded
to have depths up to 300 feet, most of the Brazilian part of the Amazon River exceeds 150 feet in
depth. Flooding often occurs between the months of June and October.
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