{{Short description|Genus of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Piranha1.jpg | taxon = Pygocentrus | authority = J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1844 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = | type_species = ''Serrasalmus piraya'' | type_species_authority = G. Cuvier, 1819<ref name = "Cof family">{{Cof family|family=Serrasalminae|access-date=19 July 2025}}</ref> | synonyms = {{Genus list | Gastropristis | C. H. Eigenmann, 1915 | Rooseveltiella | C. H. Eigenmann, 1915 | Taddyella | H. von Ihering, 1928 }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name = "Cof family"/> }}
'''''Pygocentrus''''' is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, which includes the pacus, piranhas and related fishes. All species are native to tropical and subtropical South America. All the species are predatory, scavengers and may form large schools. The famous red-bellied piranha, ''Pygocentrus nattereri'', is one of four species in the genus.<ref name=fishbase>{{FishBase genus | genus = Pygocentrus| month = April | year = 2013}}</ref>
==Species== These are the currently recognized species in this genus:<ref name="Cof genus">{{Cof genus|genus=Pygocentrus|access-date=19 July 2025}}</ref>
* ''Pygocentrus cariba'' <small>(Humboldt, 1821)</small> (black spot piranha) * ''Pygocentrus nattereri'' <small>Kner, 1858</small> (red piranha, red-bellied piranha) * ''Pygocentrus piraya'' <small>(G. Cuvier, 1819)</small> (San Francisco piranha)
''Pygocentrus palometa'' Valenciennes, 1850 is regarded as a ''nomen dubium''.<ref name = "Cof genus"/>
==References== {{Reflist}} * {{cite journal|author=Fink, W. |year=1993|title= Revision of the piranha genus ''Pygocentrus'' (Teleostei, Characiformes)|journal=Copeia|volume=3|pages=665–687|doi=10.2307/1447228 |jstor=1447228 }} * Machado-Allison, A. & W. Fink. 1996. Los peces caribes de Venezuela> diagnosis, claves, aspectos ecológicos y evolutivos. Universidad Central de Venezuela, CDCH, (Colección Monografías) Caracas, 149p. {{ISBN|980-00-0967-1}} * Reis, R. E., S. O. Kullander and C. J. Ferraris, Jr., editors (2003). Check list of the freshwater fishes of South and Central America. CLOFFSCA. EDIPUCRS, Porto Alegre. 2003: i-xi + 1-729
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Category:Serrasalminae Category:Pygocentrus Category:Freshwater fish of South America Category:Taxa named by Johannes Peter Müller Category:Taxa named by Franz Hermann Troschel
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