Home › Actinopterygii › Serrasalmidae › Red-bellied Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)
SPECIES PROFILE
Red-bellied Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)
Pygocentrus
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Actinopterygii
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Amazon, Paraguay and Parana basins
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Rivers, lakes and flooded forest
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Actinopterygii
ORDER
Characiformes
FAMILY
Serrasalmidae
GENUS
Pygocentrus
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 33 cm long
COLORATION
Silver with a red-orange belly and throat
ADAPTATIONS
Interlocking razor teeth; hunts in shoals
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Rivers, lakes and flooded forest
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Amazon, Paraguay and Parana basins
REPRODUCTION
Guards eggs among aquatic plants
DIET DETAILS
Fish, insects and carrion
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
None significant
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Famous for its bite, it actually shoals for safety and mostly scavenges rather than hunts.
2
Its interlocking teeth can shear flesh, but attacks on people are very rare.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Pantanal
Amazon (Anavilhanas)
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
May-September
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Best experienced on guided piranha-fishing trips on Pantanal and Amazon rivers in the dry season.
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