Pygopristis
Species of fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pygopristis is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes.. The only species in the genus is Pygopristis denticulata, also known as the lobetoothed piranha,.[3] This species is a rare South American characiform fish found in the Orinoco River basin, rivers of the northern and eastern Guiana Shield, and tributaries of the lower Amazon River.[4] Like other piranhas, it is found in freshwater,[3] with specimens of this species typically found in acidic clearwater or blackwater environments. Despite their ferocious reputation, many piranhas have broader diets;[3] this species feeds on the scales of other fish as juveniles,[5] but transitions to a broader diet of aquatic insects, small fish, and fruits as adults.[6]
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| Pygopristis | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Serrasalmidae |
| Subfamily: | Serrasalminae |
| Genus: | Pygopristis J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1844 |
| Species: | P. denticulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Pygopristis denticulata (Cuvier, 1819) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Biology
P. denticulata grows to about 20 cm (7.9 in) in total length.[4] It has 62 chromosomes.[7]P. denticulata has pentacuspid teeth and a middle cusp that is usually only slightly larger than the other cusps. This is unlike other piranhas, which have tricuspid teeth with a larger middle cusp, making the teeth appear triangular.[7]
Taxonomy
Within the family Serrasalmidae, P. denticulata is more closely related to Catoprion than it is to the majority of species traditionally considered true piranhas.[7]
Gallery
Juvenile
Dentition
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