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- Helen Thompson
- Piranhas’ bad reputation is at least partially Teddy Roosevelt’s fault. When Theodore Roosevelt journeyed to South America in 1913, he encountered, among other exotic creatures, several different species of piranha.
- Piranhas have lived in South America for millions of years. Today, piranhas inhabit the freshwaters of South America from the Orinoco River Basin in Venezuela up to the Paraná River in Argentina.
- Piranhas found outside South America are usually pets on the lam. Piranhas attract a certain type of pet lover, and sometimes when the fish gets too large for its aquarium said pet lover decides its much better off in the local lake.
- Piranha teeth are pretty intense but replaceable. Piranhas are known for their razor-sharp teeth and relentless bite. (The word piranha literally translates to “tooth fish” in the Brazilian language Tupí.)
Oct 19, 2023 · Piranhas are a type of fish that are known for their sharp teeth. People often think that they are dangerous because they can strip a human down to their bones in a matter of minutes. However, piranhas are more commonly scavengers than hunters and they usually only attack dead meat. Piranhas, as a matter of fact, are more commonly scavengers ...
- Vaishnavi Patil
- 3 min
- Piranha Profile
- Interesting Piranha Facts
- Piranha Fact-File Summary
Known as a ferocious freshwater fish, the Piranhais a small to medium size fish native to lakes and rivers in South America. Some have been found to inhabit warm bodies of water in North America and in the Kaptai Lake in Bangladesh. They are infamous for their razor sharp teeth and extremely powerful jaws.
1. They have razor sharp teeth, with tooth enamel structure similar to that of sharks.
The piranha has a single row of triangular teeth that are razor sharp. They will lose teeth throughout their lifetime and they will be replaced. The way in which their jaws are designed leave piranhas with a very distinct under bite, which means the bottom row of teeth are always exposed.
2. Piranha need warm water to survive.
As opposed to requiring warm blood – thanks to the world of horror movies – piranha can’t live in water that is less than 54-degrees F.
3. Theodore Roosevelt is thought to be somewhat to blame for their reputation.
After traveling to South America in 1913, the locals are said to have put on a show for him, by feeding a dead cow to a large group of hungry piranha. He subsequently wrote about the Piranha in his book ‘Through the Brazilian Wilderness’. He wrote –
Scientific Classification
1. N. Hubert et al (2007). “Phylogeography of the piranha genera”, via US National Library of Medicine. 2. R. Foxx (1972). “Attack preferences of the red-bellied piranha”, via Science Direct. 3. H. Queiroz & A. Magurran (2005). “Safety in numbers? Shoaling behaviour of the Amazonian red-bellied piranha”, via NCBI. 4. S. Millot et al. (2011). “Sound production in red-bellied piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri, Kner): an acoustical, behavioural and morphofunctional study”, via Journal of Experimen...
- Rivers, Lakes, Reservoirs, Floodplains
- Amazon Basin
- 10-20 Years
- 30-80 cm
Mar 8, 2019 · Normally Piranhas grow up to 15 to 15 centimeters (6 to 10 inches) depending on the specific breed. However, some peculiar species have been reported to grow to about 50 centimetres in length (20 inches). The red-bellied Piranha grows to about 51 cm (20 inches) The black spot Piranha can grows up to 28 cm (11 inches).
Oct 20, 2020 · It has to be said, though, that piranhas have evolved to be highly adept predators. They have one of the most forceful bites of any bony fish, with powerful, dense jaw muscles and razor-sharp, interlocking teeth that are perfect for shearing and tearing flesh. The black piranha, in particular, has a devasting chomp, so you wouldn’t want to go ...
May 5, 2010 · Piranhas are perhaps the world's best-known river killers, due largely to horror films like "Piranha" (1978), "Mega Piranha" (2010), and the upcoming "Piranha 3-D" (due out in August). Most of us ...
People also ask
Are Piranhas real?
Are Piranhas dangerous?
Are Piranhas scavengers?
Are Piranhas misunderstood?
Are Piranha aggressive?
Can you own a piranha?
Sep 4, 2023 · Piranha Attacks: Facts and Misconceptions. Piranha attacks on humans are relatively rare, and most incidents happen when the fish feel threatened or are in search of food. They display aggressive behavior in response to disturbances, such as splashing or bleeding, which can trigger their innate feeding response.
