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Piranha
A piranha (, or ; ) is any of a number of freshwater fish species in the subfamily Serrasalminae, of the family Serrasalmidae, in the order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. 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. Etymology The name originates from Old Tupi '' pirãîa'', being first attested in the 1587 treatise ' by Portuguese explorer Gabriel Soares de Sousa. ''Piranha'' first appears in 1869 in English literature, likely borrowed from Portuguese. Taxonomy and evolution Piranhas belong to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes closely related omnivorous fish such as pacus. Traditionally, only the four genera '' Pristobrycon'', '' Pygocentrus'', '' Pygopristis'', and '' Serrasalmus'' are considered to be true piranhas, due to their specialized teeth. H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-bellied Piranha
The red-bellied piranha, also known as the red piranha (''Pygocentrus nattereri''), is a Type (biology), type of piranha native to South America, found in the Amazon basin, Amazon, Paraguay River, Paraguay, Paraná River, Paraná and Essequibo River, Essequibo basins, as well as coastal rivers of northeastern Brazil.''Pygocentrus nattereri''. Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Accessed 19 February 2016.Froese, R. and D. Pauly, Editors FishBase. 2015. This fish is locally abundant in its freshwater habitat. They are omnivorous foragers and feed on insects, worms, crustaceans, and fish. They are not a migratory species but do travel to seek o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megapiranha
''Megapiranha'' is an extinct serrasalmid characin fish from the Late Miocene (8–10 million years ago) Ituzaingó Formation of Argentina, described in 2009. The type species is ''M. paranensis''.''Megapiranha'' at .org It is thought to have been about in length and in weight. The consists only of e and a zigzag tooth row; the rest of its body is unknown. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pacu
Pacu () is a common name used to refer to several species of omnivorous South American freshwater Serrasalmidae, serrasalmid fish related to piranhas. Pacu and piranha do not have similar teeth, the main difference being jaw alignment; piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth in a pronounced underbite, whereas pacu have squarer, straighter teeth and a less severe underbite, or a slight malocclusion, overbite. Pacu, unlike piranha, mainly feed on plant material and not flesh or Fish scale, scales. Additionally, the pacu can reach much larger sizes than piranha, at up to in total length and in weight. Name The common name ''pacu'' is generally applied to fish classified under the below listed Genus, genera. Among these, several genera contain species where commonly used English names include the word ''pacu'', as listed. *Subfamily Colossomatinae **''Colossoma'' – black pacu, black-finned pacu, giant pacu **''Mylossoma '' **''Piaractus'' – red-bellied pacu, small-scaled pacu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serrasalmus
''Serrasalmus'' is a genus of piranhas. They are collectively known as pirambebas; the "typical" piranhas like the piraya piranha are nowadays placed in '' Pygocentrus''. Like all piranhas, ''Serrasalmus'' are native to South America. These fish are predatory, have sharp teeth and generally have a rhomboid shape. In some, the shape is more ovoid, particularly in old specimens. Some ''Serrasalmus'' species can exceed (''S. manueli'' and ''S. rhombeus'', according to OPEFE), placing them among the largest Serrasalmidae. Middle Miocene-aged fossil remains of ''Serrasalmus'' are known from the Pebas Formation of Peru. Species There are at least 31 recognized species in this genus: * '' Serrasalmus altispinis'' Merckx, Jégu & dos Santos, 2000 * '' Serrasalmus altuvei'' Ramírez, 1965 (''caribe pinche'') * '' Serrasalmus aureus'' (Spix & Agassiz, 1829) * '' Serrasalmus auriventris'' ( Burmeister, 1861) * '' Serrasalmus brandtii'' Lütken, 1875 (white piranha) * '' Serrasalmus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serrasalminae
The Serrasalmidae (serrasalmids) are a family of characiform fishes native to freshwater habitats of South America. They include more than 90 species. The name means "serrated salmon family", which refers to the serrated keel running along the belly of these fish. Fish classified as Serrasalmidae are also known by these common names: pacu, piranha, and silver dollar. These common names generally designate differing dental characteristics and feeding habits. Description Serrasalmids are medium- to large-sized characiform bony fishes that reach about long, generally characterized by a deep, laterally compressed body with a series of midventral abdominal spines or scutes, and a long dorsal fin (over 16 rays). Most species also possess an anteriorly directed spine just before the dorsal fin extending from a supraneural bone; exceptions include members of the genera '' Colossoma'', '' Piaractus'', and '' Mylossoma''. Most serrasalmids have about 60 chromosomes, ranging from 54 to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serrasalmidae
The Serrasalmidae (serrasalmids) are a family of characiform fishes native to freshwater habitats of South America. They include more than 90 species. The name means "serrated salmon family", which refers to the serrated keel running along the belly of these fish. Fish classified as Serrasalmidae are also known by these common names: pacu, piranha, and silver dollar. These common names generally designate differing dental characteristics and feeding habits. Description Serrasalmids are medium- to large-sized characiform bony fishes that reach about long, generally characterized by a deep, laterally compressed body with a series of midventral abdominal spines or scutes, and a long dorsal fin (over 16 rays). Most species also possess an anteriorly directed spine just before the dorsal fin extending from a supraneural bone; exceptions include members of the genera '' Colossoma'', '' Piaractus'', and '' Mylossoma''. Most serrasalmids have about 60 chromosomes, ranging fro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pygopristis
''Pygopristis denticulata'', also known as the lobetoothed piranha, is a species of piranha. It is a rare South American characiform fish found in the Orinoco River basin, rivers of the northern and eastern Guiana Shield, and tributaries of the lower Amazon River. Like other piranhas, it is found in freshwater, with specimens of this species typically found in acidic clearwater or blackwater environments. Despite their ferocious reputation, many piranhas have broader diets; this species feeds on the scales of other fish as juveniles, but transitions to a broader diet of aquatic insects, small fish, and fruits as adults. Biology ''P. denticulata'' grows to about in total length. It has 62 chromosomes.''P. denticulata'' has pentacuspid teeth and a middle cusp that is usually only slightly larger than the other cusps. This is unlike other piranhas, which have tricuspid teeth with a larger middle cusp, making the teeth appear triangular. Taxonomy Within the family Serrasalm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pygocentrus
''Pygocentrus'' is a genus of the piranha family Serrasalmidae. All species are native to tropical and subtropical South America. All the species are predatory, scavengers and may form large schools. The famous red-bellied piranha, ''Pygocentrus nattereri'', is one of four species in the genus. Species There are currently four recognized species in this genus: * '' Pygocentrus cariba'' ( Humboldt, 1821) (black spot piranha) – Orinoco river basin. * '' Pygocentrus nattereri'' Kner, 1858 (red piranha, red-bellied piranha) – Amazon, Paraguay- Paraná-Uruguay, and Essequibo river basins, as well as various river in northeastern Brazil. * '' Pygocentrus palometa'' Valenciennes, 1850 – Orinoco river basin, possibly a nomen dubium. * '' Pygocentrus piraya'' ( G. Cuvier, 1819) (San Francisco piranha) – São Francisco River The São Francisco River (, ) is a large Rivers of Brazil, river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amazon Basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributary, tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, as well as the territory of French Guiana. Most of the basin is covered by the Amazon rainforest, also known as Amazon rainforest, Amazonia. With a area of dense tropical forest, it is the largest rainforest in the world. Geography The Amazon River begins in the Andes, Andes Mountains at the west of the basin with its main tributary the Marañón River and Apurímac River, Apurimac River in Peru. The highest point in the Drainage divide, watershed of the Amazon is the second biggest peak of Yerupajá at . The Amazon River Basin occupies the entire central and eastern area of South America, lying to the east of the Andes mountain range and extending from th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Characiformes
Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationships of the Characidiinae and phylogeny of characiform fishes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi)", ''Phylogeny and Classification of Neotropical Fishes'', L.R. Malabarba, R.E. Reis, R.P. Vari, Z.M. Lucena, eds. (Porto Alegre: Edipucr) 1998:123-144. Taxonomy The Characiformes form part of a series called the Otophysi within the superorder Ostariophysi. The Otophysi contain three other orders, Cypriniformes, Siluriformes, and Gymnotiformes. The Characiformes form a group known as the Characiphysi with the Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes. The order Characiformes is the sister group to the orders Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes, though this has been debated in light of recent molecular evidence. Originally, the characins were all grouped within a sin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pristobrycon
''Pristobrycon'' is a genus of piranhas from the Orinoco and Amazon Basins, as well as rivers in the Guianas. ''Pristobrycon'' is not monophyletic. No single morphological feature has been found that completely diagnoses this genus. ''P. striolatus'' is very different from other species of this genus. The genus ''Pristobrycon'' was created by Eigenmann to include species which have intermediate characters between "the fierce ''Rooseveltiella'' Pygocentrus_nattereri.html" ;"title="''Pygocentrus nattereri">''Pygocentrus nattereri''without palatine teeth, and the less blood-thirsty ''Serrasalmus'' with a series of permanent teeth along the palatine". The author designed ''P. calmoni'' as the type species of the genus. Two groups are included in this genus. One group is characterized by presence of the preanal spine (only ''P. calmoni'') and the other group including the rest of the species assigned (''P. careospinus'', ''P. maculipinnis'' and ''P. striolatus'') (Fink & Machado-Al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can be grouped into the more basal (phylogenetics), basal jawless fish and the more common jawed fish, the latter including all extant taxon, living cartilaginous fish, cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as the extinct placoderms and acanthodians. In a break to the long tradition of grouping all fish into a single Class (biology), class (Pisces), modern phylogenetics views fish as a paraphyletic group. Most fish are ectotherm, cold-blooded, their body temperature varying with the surrounding water, though some large nekton, active swimmers like white shark and tuna can hold a higher core temperature. Many fish can communication in aquatic animals#Acoustic, communicate acoustically with each other, such as during courtship displays. The stud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
