Pygocentrus palometa

Pygocentrus palometa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Serrasalmidae
Genus: Pygocentrus
Species: P. palometa
Binomial name
Pygocentrus palometa
Valenciennes, 1850

Pygocentrus palometa is a species of piranha native to South America, where restricted to the Orinoco Basin.[1]

On 25 December 2013, bathers cooling off in the Parana River in Rosario, 300 kilometres (190 mi) north of Buenos Aires, Argentina were attacked by this species. Up to 70 people were bitten, some lost toes and fingers.[2][3]

References

  1. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Pygocentrus palometa" in FishBase. March 2014 version.
  2. "Carnivorous fish attack bathers in Argentina". BBC NEWS. 26 December 2013.
  3. "Argentina: 70 injured in bizarre carnivorous fish attack". komonews.com. Associated Press. 26 Dec 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
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