Did you know?
Still, piranhas are regarded as bloodthirsty and shall be able to gnaw off animals or humans that have fallen into the water to their bones in a matter of minutes. That those prejudices are exaggerated can be seen in the example of Indians happily going for a swim in the habitat of the piranhas. Even people that have been attacked were not severely injured. Only having open wounds can be dangerous.
Characteristics
| Classification | Order characiformes, family characins |
|---|---|
| Diet | Fishes, insects, crabs, molluscs, injured animals, carcass and vegetarian food |
| Habitat | Amazon basin and Orinoco basin as well as catchment area of the Rio Paraguay and the Rio Paraná |
| Reproduction | Up to 4,000 eggs are laid into a spawn den; the males defend the spawn; eclosion of the larvae after 34 days |
Status according to Red List
More information you will get on the web page of the IUCN Red List.
