PIRANHA PLUS

Many species can occur together for example, seven are found in Caño Maporal, a stream in Venezuela. Most species are restricted to a single river system, but some (such as the red-bellied piranha) occur in several. In a review where 38–39 piranha species were recognized, 25 were from the Amazon and 16 from Orinoco, while only three were present in Paraguay–Paraná and two in São Francisco. Piranhas are indigenous to the Amazon basin, in the Orinoco, in rivers of the Guianas, in the Paraguay– Paraná, and the São Francisco River systems, but there are major differences in the species richness. Piranha in Venezuela with its jaws held open to show its distinctive sharp teeth Distribution Estimates range from fewer than 30 to more than 60. The total number of piranha species is unknown and contested, and new species continue to be described. Pygopristis was found to be more closely related to Catoprion than the other three piranha genera.

PIRANHA PLUS

However, a recent analysis showed, if the piranha group is to be monophyletic, it should be restricted to Serrasalmus, Pygocentrus, and part of Pristobrycon, or expanded to include these taxa plus Pygopristis, Catoprion, and Pristobrycon striolatus. Traditionally, only the four genera Pristobrycon, Pygocentrus, Pygopristis, and Serrasalmus are considered to be true piranhas, due to their specialized teeth. Piranhas belong to the subfamily Serrasalminae, which includes closely related omnivorous fish such as pacus. Finally, the word may also come from the combination of pirá code: tpw is deprecated meaning fish and ánha code: tpw is deprecated meaning cut (which also meant 'bad' or 'devil' in Tupi-Guarani). In the mid 18th century the Portuguese merged the word into piranha. Another possible derivation is from pira nya code: tpw is deprecated, probably literally 'biting-fish'. It is formed from two words, pirá code: tpw is deprecated meaning fish and sainha code: tpw is deprecated meaning tooth the same word is used by Indians to describe a pair of scissors. The name originates from the indigenous Tupi people and their respective Tupi language. Although often described as extremely predatory and mainly feeding on fish, their dietary habits vary extensively, and they will also take plant material, leading to their classification as omnivorous. These fish inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs.

A red-bellied piranha at the Karlsruhe ZooĪ piranha or piraña ( / p ɪ ˈ r ɑː n j ə/, / p ɪ ˈ r æ n j ə/, or / p ɪ ˈ r ɑː n ə/ Portuguese:, Spanish: ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes.