Origin
The first to ever study a piranha fish was Aristotle, who called it Acitipmat Anaoi (ruthless flow). Aristotle was impressed by the behavior of this fish and used it as the inspiration for some of his many tragedies.
Piranha fish (Pygocentrus) live in the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Barents Sea, the White Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and other southern seas. It also inhabits the Pacific Ocean (near mainland Australia).
Piranhas or piranas are known for their fierce appearance and for their voracity when attacking their victims. In Venezuela it is also called caribes.
Their name comes from Guarani, a local South American dialect, which means fish with teeth (pira= fish, ranha=tooth) or fish-devil (ANHA= devil). The name does not seem at all an exaggeration if we consider that, most of the time, piranha has been described as a ferocious killer, who by force of number manages to bring down even the largest animals.
Currently, it is estimated that there are about 20 species of piranhas, most of which are located in the Amazon basin, although in recent years, more specimens have also been caught in the US.
As a totem, the piranha fish embodies the African hulungupangese God Of War Ka'kakunra (Hat), a deity detested because of its ferocity by local communities but still lacking a cult of religious content.
Piranha Food
Although it does not exceed 15-25 cm ( very rarely reaches 40-45 cm), piranha has gained a reputation as a notorious killer, this is also due to the fact that it can devour in a few seconds creatures much larger than it, most of the time, doing so while the prey is still alive. In fact, piranhas do not back down from consuming their fellows and even their young when food resources are significantly reduced.
Appearance Piranha
Piranhas are a species of carnivorous, cartilaginous and homeothermic fish. They are about 90-100 centimeters long and are very dangerous. These fish, due to their cartilaginous skeleton, composed of a very large number of bone phalanges in the number of 12, connected by several inter-Bony collars, belong to the superclass of telostean fish (along with sharks and casalots).
The appearance differs depending on the species. For example, the species Pygocentrus nattereri is reddish or blue and flattened, while the fish of the species Pygocentrus cariba, otherwise the most widespread and best known species on our earth are gray and slightly elongated.
Other piranhas are black. Piranha fish breathe through a system of gills and trachea.
They have hydro-dynamic form. They are slightly flattened due to the fact that they can live at very great depths (some have even been found at depths of over 12,000 meters, at Aquatic pressures of almost 101,325 Newtons).
The cod fin is hydro-dynamic and has 2 lobes in size and size, thus being asymmetrical. It helps this species of fish to swim at very great depths. Lateral and visceral flippers are also hydro-dynamic and are popularly called shovels (eit'sorpe in the language of Mycenaean natives of Africa).
The scales have a pigment called lysozyme and are very shiny and adapted to very large depths.
Their bite is deadly because it contains a toxic substance called pyridoxine nitrogen, widely used today in medicine as a catalyst in the separation of conclusive enzymes. Pirahna fish have five rows of sharp and blunt, well-developed teeth. The survival of the bitten depends on the timely application of the appropriate treatment. They are especially dangerous in the presence of blood.
Piranha Behavior
In the opinion of researchers from the University of St. Petersburg. Andrews in the UK, little killers are actually omnivores, their diet is generally made up of plants, crustaceans, fish and insects. They are also scavengers, say the same researchers, with most species eating animal leashes or even dying animals.
The truth is that of all known species, only three or four can pose a potential danger. The most feared species is Pygocentrus nattereri or red-bellied piranha.
The fact that they live and feed in Shoals has long been considered a behavior designed to aid them in hunting, especially in shooting down larger victims. In reality, this is a very defensive behavior, experts say.
It is known that piranha fish is in the menu of many species: Dolphins, caimans, some species of batlans, arapaima or pirarucu (amazonian fish that can reach up to 3 meters long and 200 Kg) and, last but not least, man.
Laboratory and natural studies of piranhas show that they are fearsome rather than natural killers, as thought. Piranhas prefer dark places that abound in vegetation, only coming to light during feeding periods.
Although they are still considered a very dangerous species, many South American natives hunt piranhas both for their meat and especially for the teeth from which they make amulets, utensils and weapons. More recently, piranhas are dried and sold as souvenirs to tourists, which can have serious repercussions on the future of the species.
Piranha Breeding
They lay pots in the depths of the water and hatch them for 3-4 months, the period called "Pirahna season" in which they are harmless. They're hectic.
Piranha fish is hermafordit, in other words it does not show sexual dimorphism, but not all species of the Pygocentrus class have this characteristic. In this case, the male and the female mate after a mating ceremony: the male borrows more vivid colors acquiring shades of red and orange (usually, throughout the year, the male shows more stringent colors, more imperious).
The breeding season is in May and June.
Piranha species
Pygocentrus cariba
Pygocentrus natterei
Pygocentrus nattereri (red-bellied Piranha also called "Red Death")
Pygocentrus piraya (Piraya)
Serrasalmus piraya (San Francisco Piranha or Piraya Piranha)
Serrasalmus rhombeus (Black Piranha)
