Piranha (Pygocentrus and Serrasalmus)
E858413
Piranhas (genera Pygocentrus and Serrasalmus) are South American freshwater fish known for their sharp teeth, powerful jaws, and reputation for aggressive, carnivorous feeding behavior.
Observed surface forms (3)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Piranha | 0 |
| Pygocentrus | 0 |
| Serrasalmus | 0 |
Statements (54)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
common name
ⓘ
fish genus ⓘ |
| behavior |
opportunistic feeding
ⓘ
scavenging ⓘ schooling ⓘ |
| class | Actinopterygii ⓘ |
| culturalImage | symbol of ferocity ⓘ |
| diet |
carnivorous
ⓘ
omnivorous ⓘ |
| dietIncludes |
fish
ⓘ
invertebrates ⓘ plant material ⓘ seeds ⓘ |
| distribution |
Amazon Basin
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Orinoco Basin NERFINISHED ⓘ Paraguay–Paraná Basin NERFINISHED ⓘ São Francisco River Basin NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| ecologicalRole |
predator
ⓘ
prey for larger animals ⓘ scavenger ⓘ |
| family |
Serrasalmidae
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Serrasalmidae NERFINISHED ⓘ Serrasalmidae NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| habitat |
flooded forests
ⓘ
freshwater ⓘ lakes ⓘ reservoirs ⓘ rivers ⓘ |
| hasAnatomicalFeature |
deep body shape
ⓘ
laterally compressed body ⓘ single row of sharp triangular teeth in each jaw ⓘ strong jaw muscles ⓘ |
| includesCommonName |
piranha
ⓘ
piranha ⓘ |
| kingdom | Animalia ⓘ |
| maximumLength | about 50 cm ⓘ |
| nativeTo | South America ⓘ |
| notableFor |
aggressive feeding behavior
ⓘ
powerful jaws ⓘ sharp teeth ⓘ |
| order |
Characiformes
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Characiformes NERFINISHED ⓘ Characiformes NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| phylum | Chordata ⓘ |
| popularMediaPortrayal | man-eating fish ⓘ |
| refersTo |
Pygocentrus
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Serrasalmus NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| reputation |
dangerous to humans
ⓘ
flesh-eating fish ⓘ |
| taxonRank | common name for multiple genera ⓘ |
| typicalLength | 15 to 25 cm ⓘ |
| usedAs |
aquarium fish
ⓘ
food fish ⓘ |
| usedIn | local fisheries ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.