piranha
Sign in to saveA piranha (, or ; ) is any of a number of freshwater fish species in the subfamily Serrasalminae, of the family Serrasalmidae, in the order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. Although often described as extremely predatory and mainly feeding on fish, their dietary habits vary extensively, and they will also take plant material, leading to their classification as omnivorous.
AI overview
A piranha is a freshwater fish found in South American rivers and waterways that belongs to the family Serrasalmidae. Despite their reputation for being extremely predatory, piranhas are actually omnivorous and vary widely in their eating habits, consuming both fish and plant material.
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Article
15 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy and evolution
- Distribution
- Description
- Size
- Morphology
- Biting abilities
- Ecology
- Relationship with humans
- Attacks
- Reputation
- Accounts from Theodore Roosevelt
- See also
- References
- External links
A piranha (, or ; ) is any of a number of freshwater fish species in the subfamily Serrasalminae, of the family Serrasalmidae, in the order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. Although often described as extremely predatory and mainly feeding on fish, their dietary habits vary extensively, and they will also take plant material, leading to their classification as omnivorous.
==Etymology== The name originates from Old Tupi pirãîa, from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *pirãj, being first attested in Vocabulário da Língua Brasílica, a 1585 Portuguese–Tupi bilingual dictionary, as a translation for scissors. The first description and attribution of this name to the fish would occur two years later, in the 1587 treatise '' by Portuguese explorer Gabriel Soares de Sousa.