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.
Description Serrasalmus species have sharp teeth and generally have a compressed rhomboid shape. In some, the shape is more ovoid, particularly in old specimens. There is also a high variation in color patterns found within this genus. Some Serrasalmus species can exceed 20 in or 510 mm (S. manueli and S. rhombeus, according to OPEFE), placing them among the largest Serrasalmidae.
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.
Evolution Pericentric inversions are likely responsible for many of the chromosomal differences in Serrasalmus.
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.
Species
These are the recognized species in this genus: Serrasalmus altispinis Merckx, Jégu & dos Santos, 2000 Serrasalmus altuvei Ramírez, 1965 (caribe pinche) Serrasalmus aureus (Spix & Agassiz, 1829) Serrasalmus brandtii Lütken, 1875 (white piranha) Serrasalmus calmoni (Steindachner, 1908) Serrasalmus careospinus W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992 Serrasalmus castellonae Gallo-Cardozo, Careaga & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2025 Serrasalmus compressus Jégu, Leão & dos Santos, 1991 Serrasalmus eigenmanni Norman, 1929 Serrasalmus elongatus Kner, 1858 (slender piranha, caribe pinche) Serrasalmus emarginatus (Jardine, 1841) Serrasalmus geryi Jégu & dos Santos, 1988 (violet line piranha) Serrasalmus gibbus Castelnau, 1855 Serrasalmus gouldingi W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992 (blue tiger piranha) Serrasalmus hastatus W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 2001 Serrasalmus hollandi (C. H. Eigenmann, 1915) Serrasalmus humeralis Valenciennes, 1850 (pirambeba) Serrasalmus irritans (W. K. H. Peters, 1877) (Iridescent piranha，"caribe pinche") Serrasalmus maculatus Kner, 1858 (spotted piranha) Serrasalmus maculipinnis W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992 Serrasalmus manueli (Fernández-Yépez & Ramírez, 1967) (green tiger piranha, caribe parguasero) Serrasalmus magallanesi Gallo-Cardozo, Maldonado, Careaga & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2024 Serrasalmus marginatus Valenciennes, 1837 Serrasalmus medinai Ramírez, 1965 (red-throated piranha) Serrasalmus nalseni Fernández-Yépez, 1969 (caribe pintado) Serrasalmus neveriensis Machado-Allison, W. L. Fink, López Rojas & Rodenas, 1993 Serrasalmus odyssei Hubert & Renno, 2010 Serrasalmus rhombeus (Linnaeus, 1766) (redeye piranha, caribe amarillo) Serrasalmus sanchezi Géry, 1964 (sharp-snouted piranha) Serrasalmus scapularis Günther, 1864 Serrasalmus serrulatus (Valenciennes, 1850) (caribe cortador) Serrasalmus spilopleura Kner, 1858 (speckled piranha)
References