{{Short description|Genus of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossil range/linked|Middle Miocene|present}} | image = Serrasalmus rhombeus 205142615 (cropped).jpg | image_caption = ''S. rhombeus'' at Carauari, Brazil | taxon = Serrasalmus | authority = Lacepède, 1803 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text | type_species = ''Salmo rhombeus'' | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1766<ref name = "Cof family">{{Cof family|family=Serrasalminae|access-date=20 July 2025}}</ref> | synonyms = {{Genus list | Serrasalmo | Duméril, 1805 | Pristobrycon | C. H. Eigenmann, 1915 }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name = "Cof family"/> }}
'''''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.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=A Reproducing Population of Serrasalmus Humeralis Valenciennes in Southern Florida|journal=Florida Scientist|date=1979|issn=0098-4590|pages=206–214|volume=42|issue=4|first1=Paul L.|last1=Shafland|first2=Karen Jo|last2=Foote |jstor=24319655 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Serrasalmus humeralis |url=https://fishbase.se/summary/Serrasalmus-humeralis |website=FishBase}}</ref><!-- Fishbase's reference for the eradication date does not seem to work, please verify -->
== Description == ''Serrasalmus'' species have sharp teeth and generally have a compressed rhomboid shape.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://backend.production.deepblue-documents.lib.umich.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/c5efcd05-1122-40c6-9f7f-f1d3e17af353/content|title=Serrasalmus Hastatus, A New Species of Piranha From Brazil, With Comments On Serrasalmus Altuvei And Serrasalmus Compressus (Teleostei: Characiformes)|date=March 16, 2001|access-date=November 25, 2025|website=backend.production.deepblue-documents|last1=Fink|first1=William L.|last2=Machado-Allison}}</ref>{{Verify source|date=December 2025|reason=Could not find claim in the source given}} In some, the shape is more ovoid, particularly in old specimens. There is also a high variation in color patterns found within this genus.<ref name=":0" />{{Verify source|date=December 2025|reason=Could not find claim in the source given}} 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|date=December 2025}}
== 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.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Feeding ecology of Serrasalmus gouldingi (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) in the lower Anapu River region, Eastern Amazon, Brazil|url=https://www.scielo.br/j/aa/a/vJvcYDwmbZR3BqRjBCzpygd/?lang=en&format=html|journal=Acta Amazonica|date=2016|issn=0044-5967|pages=259–270|volume=46|doi=10.1590/1809-4392201600123|language=en|first1=Bruno da S.|last1=Prudente|first2=Pedro|last2=Carneiro-Marinho|first3=Roberta de M.|last3=Valente|first4=Luciano F. de A.|last4=Montag | issue=3 | bibcode=2016AcAma..46..259P }}</ref>
== Evolution == Pericentric inversions are likely responsible for many of the chromosomal differences in ''Serrasalmus''.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=A Comparative Cytogenetic Study of Five Piranha Species (Serrasalmus, Serrasalminae) from the Amazon Basin|journal=Genetica|date=2002-04-01|issn=1573-6857|pages=231–236|volume=114|issue=3|doi=10.1023/A:1016275505655|language=en|first1=Celeste Mutuko|last1=Nakayama|first2=Jorge Ivan|last2=Rebelo Porto|first3=Eliana|last3=Feldberg |pmid=12206361 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Chromosome Study of Two Species of the Genus Serrasalmus (Characidae, Serrasalminae) from the Parana River|url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cytologia1929/59/2/59_2_175/_article|journal=Cytologia|date=1994|pages=175–181|volume=59|issue=2|doi=10.1508/cytologia.59.175|first1=I. C.|last1=Martins-Santos|first2=H. F.|last2=Julio-Jr|first3=S. J.|last3=Santos}}</ref>
== 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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Carrillo-Briceño |first1=Jorge D. |last2=Aguilera |first2=Orangel A. |last3=Benites-Palomino |first3=Aldo |last4=Hsiou |first4=Annie S. |last5=Birindelli |first5=José L. O. |last6=Adnet |first6=Sylvain |last7=Cadena |first7=Edwin-Alberto |last8=Scheyer |first8=Torsten M. |date=2021-12-20 |title=A historical vertebrate collection from the Middle Miocene of the Peruvian Amazon |journal=Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |volume=140 |issue=1 |page=26 |doi=10.1186/s13358-021-00239-7 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021SwJP..140...26C |issn=1664-2384}}</ref>
==Species== [[File:Serrasalmus elongatus 205539269.jpg|thumb|''Serrasalmus elongatus'']] These are the recognized species in this genus:<ref name = "Cof genus">{{Cof genus|genus=Serrasalmus|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref> * ''Serrasalmus altispinis'' <small>Merckx, Jégu & dos Santos, 2000</small> * ''Serrasalmus altuvei'' <small>Ramírez, 1965</small> (''caribe pinche'') * ''Serrasalmus aureus'' <small>(Spix & Agassiz, 1829)</small> * ''Serrasalmus brandtii'' <small>Lütken, 1875</small> (white piranha) * ''Serrasalmus calmoni'' <small>(Steindachner, 1908)</small> * ''Serrasalmus careospinus'' <small>W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992</small> * ''Serrasalmus castellonae'' <small>Gallo-Cardozo, Careaga & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2025</small> * ''Serrasalmus compressus'' <small>Jégu, Leão & dos Santos, 1991</small> * ''Serrasalmus eigenmanni'' <small>Norman, 1929</small> * ''Serrasalmus elongatus'' <small>Kner, 1858</small> (slender piranha, ''caribe pinche'') * ''Serrasalmus emarginatus'' <small>(Jardine, 1841)</small> * ''Serrasalmus geryi'' <small>Jégu & dos Santos, 1988</small> (violet line piranha) * ''Serrasalmus gibbus'' <small>Castelnau, 1855</small> * ''Serrasalmus gouldingi'' <small>W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992</small> (blue tiger piranha) * ''Serrasalmus hastatus'' <small>W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 2001</small> * ''Serrasalmus hollandi'' <small>(C. H. Eigenmann, 1915)</small> * ''Serrasalmus humeralis'' <small>Valenciennes, 1850</small> (pirambeba) * ''Serrasalmus irritans'' <small>(W. K. H. Peters, 1877)</small> (Iridescent piranha，''"caribe pinche"'') * ''Serrasalmus maculatus'' <small>Kner, 1858</small> (spotted piranha) * ''Serrasalmus maculipinnis'' <small>W. L. Fink & Machado-Allison, 1992</small> * [[File:Serrasalmus eigenmanni from the Lajeado reservoir (1 of 2) (cropped).png|thumb|''S. eigenmanni,'' scale bar = 1 cm]]''Serrasalmus manueli'' <small>(Fernández-Yépez & Ramírez, 1967)</small> (green tiger piranha, ''caribe parguasero'') * ''Serrasalmus magallanesi'' <small>Gallo-Cardozo, Maldonado, Careaga & Carvajal-Vallejos, 2024</small> * ''Serrasalmus marginatus'' <small>Valenciennes, 1837</small> * ''Serrasalmus medinai'' <small>Ramírez, 1965</small> (red-throated piranha) * ''Serrasalmus nalseni'' <small>Fernández-Yépez, 1969</small> (''caribe pintado'') * ''Serrasalmus neveriensis'' <small>Machado-Allison, W. L. Fink, López Rojas & Rodenas, 1993</small> * ''Serrasalmus odyssei'' <small>Hubert & Renno, 2010</small> * ''Serrasalmus rhombeus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1766)</small> (redeye piranha, ''caribe amarillo'') * ''Serrasalmus sanchezi'' <small>Géry, 1964</small> (sharp-snouted piranha) * ''Serrasalmus scapularis'' <small>Günther, 1864</small> * ''Serrasalmus serrulatus'' <small>(Valenciennes, 1850)</small> (''caribe cortador'') * ''Serrasalmus spilopleura'' <small>Kner, 1858</small> (speckled piranha)
==References== {{Reflist}}
* {{Commons category-inline}} * {{ITIS |id=163261 |taxon=Serrasalmus |accessdate=6 June 2006}} * {{cite web|url=https://opefe.com/serralist.html|title=Serrasalmidae Classification List|author=Frank Magallanes|date=March 2015|website=OPEFE Archives}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q972721}}
Category:Serrasalminae Category:Serrasalmus Category:Piranhas Category:Fish of South America Category:Taxa named by Bernard Germain de Lacépède
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