OSTEICHTHYES: CHARACIFORMES: CHARACIDAE: Pygocentrus

Pygocentrus nattereri Kner, 1858

Redbellied piranha

Photo by Dr. Robert Sprackland; text by Mark Kohlepp and Dr. Robert Sprackland.

Range: Widely distributed in freshwater river systems of South America, from the eastern side of the Andes mountains to near the Brazilian east coast.

Diagnosis:

Description:

Natural History: The legendary man-eating habits of piranhas are mainly that... legendary. Piranhas are powerful fish-eating species that tend to live in large schools. During most times they are content to feed n smaller fishes, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates. However, when rivers run low and drought sets in, the lack of standard foods leads piranhas to attack an eat whatever the can overpower. Their large size (22-37 cm/9-15 inches), large teeth, and large schooling numbers thus allow them to tackle and often overpower large animals, including horses, swine, and humans.

Reproduction: Females lay up to 5,000 eggs which are laid on rocks, logs, and vegetation. Males guard the eggs until they hatch.

Taxonomy & Relationships:

Variation:

Additional Comments:

Type Specimen: Syntypes NMW 10585-86.

Literature:

Fink, W. 1993. Revision of the piranha genus Pygocentrus (Teleostei, Characiformes). Copeia 1993(3): 665-687.

Fink, W., and M. Zelditch. 1997. Shape analysis and taxonomic status of Pygocentrus piranhas (Ostariophsi: Characiformes) from the Paraguay and Parana river basins of South America. Copeia 1997(1): 179-182.