A piranha (/ pɪˈrɑːnjəˌ - ræn /, or / pɪˈrɑːnə /; Portuguese: [piˈɾɐ̃ɲɐ]) is any of a number of freshwater fish species in the subfamily Serrasalminae, of the family Serrasalmidae, [1] in the order Characiformes. 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. Most species, however, are scavengers or feed on plant material.
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?
Piranhas are a group of freshwater fish belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which also includes pacu and silver dollars. They are native to the rivers, lakes, and floodplains of South America.
The famous red-bellied piranha species has a silver colored body that is covered in red patches, but other piranha can have shades of yellow, green and black. This provides a form of camouflage in the muddy waters these fish live in.
People also call them white piranha, black piranha, or yellow piranha. Depending on their life stage or environments, their rhombus-shaped bodies come in varying colors, but their eyes always stay red.
Piranhas are a commonly used name for several closely related South American freshwater fishes within the serrasalmid lineage, especially the genera Pygocentrus and Serrasalmus. They are characiform fishes known for laterally compressed bodies, strong jaws, and triangular, interlocking teeth adapted for cutting and tearing.