Serrasalmus

Serrasalmus
Temporal range: Middle Miocene–present
S. rhombeus at Carauari, Brazil
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Serrasalmidae
Subfamily: Serrasalminae
Genus: Serrasalmus
Lacepède, 1803
Type species
Salmo rhombeus
Linnaeus, 1766[1]
Species

See text

Synonyms[1]

Serrasalmus is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes. They are collectively known as pirambebas; the "typical" piranhas like the piraya piranha are nowadays placed in Pygocentrus. Like all piranhas, Serrasalmus are native to South America.

One species, S. humeralis, was able to temporarily establish a breeding population in Florida before being eradicated in 1981.[2][3]

Description

Serrasalmus species have sharp teeth and generally have a compressed rhomboid shape.[4][verification needed] In some, the shape is more ovoid, particularly in old specimens. There is also a high variation in color patterns found within this genus.[4][verification needed] Some Serrasalmus species can exceed 20 in or 510 mm (S. manueli and S. rhombeus, according to OPEFE), placing them among the largest Serrasalmidae.[citation needed]

Diet

Serrasalmus species are primarily piscivorous, with varying degrees of propensity for omnivory depending on the species. Plant material ingested may include fruits and seeds.[5]

Evolution

Pericentric inversions are likely responsible for many of the chromosomal differences in Serrasalmus.[6][7]

Fossil record

Middle Miocene-aged fossil tooth remains of a serrasalmid potentially referable to Serrasalmus are known from the Pebas Formation of Peru. The genus otherwise does not have a fossil record.[8]

Species

Serrasalmus elongatus

These are the recognized species in this genus:[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Serrasalminae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  2. ^ Shafland, Paul L.; Foote, Karen Jo (1979). "A Reproducing Population of Serrasalmus Humeralis Valenciennes in Southern Florida". Florida Scientist. 42 (4): 206–214. ISSN 0098-4590. JSTOR 24319655.
  3. ^ "Serrasalmus humeralis". FishBase.
  4. ^ a b Fink, William L.; Machado-Allison (March 16, 2001). "Serrasalmus Hastatus, A New Species of Piranha From Brazil, With Comments On Serrasalmus Altuvei And Serrasalmus Compressus (Teleostei: Characiformes)". backend.production.deepblue-documents. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  5. ^ Prudente, Bruno da S.; Carneiro-Marinho, Pedro; Valente, Roberta de M.; Montag, Luciano F. de A. (2016). "Feeding ecology of Serrasalmus gouldingi (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) in the lower Anapu River region, Eastern Amazon, Brazil". Acta Amazonica. 46 (3): 259–270. Bibcode:2016AcAma..46..259P. doi:10.1590/1809-4392201600123. ISSN 0044-5967.
  6. ^ Nakayama, Celeste Mutuko; Rebelo Porto, Jorge Ivan; Feldberg, Eliana (2002-04-01). "A Comparative Cytogenetic Study of Five Piranha Species (Serrasalmus, Serrasalminae) from the Amazon Basin". Genetica. 114 (3): 231–236. doi:10.1023/A:1016275505655. ISSN 1573-6857. PMID 12206361.
  7. ^ Martins-Santos, I. C.; Julio-Jr, H. F.; Santos, S. J. (1994). "Chromosome Study of Two Species of the Genus Serrasalmus (Characidae, Serrasalminae) from the Parana River". Cytologia. 59 (2): 175–181. doi:10.1508/cytologia.59.175.
  8. ^ Carrillo-Briceño, Jorge D.; Aguilera, Orangel A.; Benites-Palomino, Aldo; Hsiou, Annie S.; Birindelli, José L. O.; Adnet, Sylvain; Cadena, Edwin-Alberto; Scheyer, Torsten M. (2021-12-20). "A historical vertebrate collection from the Middle Miocene of the Peruvian Amazon". Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. 140 (1): 26. Bibcode:2021SwJP..140...26C. doi:10.1186/s13358-021-00239-7. ISSN 1664-2384.
  9. ^ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Serrasalmus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serrasalmus