These fish inhabit south american rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. In movies such as piranha (1978), the piranha has been depicted as a ravenous indiscriminate killer. Take piranha fish, a toothy south american freshwater fish that has been the subject of not one, not two, but five hollywood horror movies Sure, they've got big teeth, but are piranhas really as ferocious as their reputation? Enter the world of these small but feisty carnivorous fish and learn about the various types of piranha and their distinct characteristics. Their prehistoric ancestors were 3 feet long
The exact number of species is unknown, but there are thought to be 30 to 60 or more Fishermen often catch them for food or trade, and some communities even engage in piranha fishing tourism While piranhas can be dangerous, attacks are rare and usually provoked. There are several dozen species of piranha Piranhas are freshwater fish found in south america. Deep laterally compressed bodies are generally silvery or golden in color, with a short adipose fin, jaws with a single row of sharp tricuspid sheering teeth and no molars
The black (or redeye) piranha (serrasalmus rhombeus) holds the record for the strongest bite of any bony fish, three times greater than the bite force of an american alligator of equivalent size. There are roughly 30 to 60 species of piranha, belonging to the serrasalmidae family These fish are generally characterized by their laterally compressed bodies, powerful jaws, and incredibly sharp, serrated teeth.
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