Pygopristis denticulata

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Pygopristis denticulata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Characiformes Family: Characidae Genus: Pygopristis Müller & Troschel, 1844 Species: P. denticulata
Binomial name
Pygopristis denticulata (Cuvier, 1819)
Synonyms
Serrasalmus denticulatus Cuvier, 1819 Serrasalmus punctatus Jardine, 1841 Pygopristis fumarius Müller & Troschel, 1845

Pygopristis denticulata is a species of piranha and is the only species of the genus Pygopristis. It is a rare South American fish found in the Orinoco River basin, north and eastern Guiana Shield rivers, and tributaries of the lower Amazon River.^[1]

Pygopristis has pentacuspid teeth and a middle cusp that is usually only slightly larger than the other cusps. This is unlike other piranha, which have tricuspid teeth with a larger middle cusp making the teeth appear triangular.^[2]

P. denticulata grows to about 20.0 centimetres (7.9 in) TL.^[1] P. denticulata has 62 chromosomes.^[2]

This fish possesses powerful dentition that can cause serious bites.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Pygopristis denticulata". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
2. ^ ^{a b} Freeman, Barbie; Nico, Leo G.; Osentoski, Matthew; Jelks, Howard L.; Collins, Timothy M. (2007). "Molecular systematics of Serrasalmidae: Deciphering the identities of piranha species and unraveling their evolutionary histories" (PDF). Zootaxa 1484: 1–38.