Serrasalmus

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Serrasalmus
6.5 in (17 cm)-long juvenile green tiger piranha (S. manueli)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Serrasalmidae
Genus: Serrasalmus
Lacepède, 1803
Type species
Salmo rhombeus
Linnaeus, 1766
Species

See text

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 20 in or 510 mm (S. manueli and S. rhombeus, according to OPEFE), placing them among the largest Serrasalmidae.

Species[edit]

There are at least 31 recognized species in this genus:[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). Species of Serrasalmus in FishBase. April 2013 version.
  • Media related to Serrasalmus at Wikimedia Commons
  • "Serrasalmus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
  • OPEFE[full citation needed]