Megapiranha

Megapiranha
For the 2010 film, see Mega Piranha.
Megapiranha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Characidae
Subfamily: Serrasalminae
Géry, 1972
Genus: Megapiranha
Cione et al. 2009
Species: M. paranensis
Binomial name
Megapiranha paranensis(type)

Megapiranha is a genus of extinct serrasalmid characin fish from the Late Miocene (between 8-10 million years ago) of Argentina described in 2009.[1] Megapiranha reached lengths of up to 1 meter long, four times the size of the modern-day piranha. It is based on only premaxillae and teeth, with the rest of the body not known.[2]

The fossil has a zigzag row of teeth, which is intermediate between modern piranhas, with a single row of cutting teeth, and the pacu, with two rows of teeth adapted to eat plants.[2]

References

Lead taken from the more detailed Fossil Wiki article licensed under the Creatve Commons license.

  1. ^ Live Science: Toothy 3-foot Piranha Fossil Found
  2. ^ a b Luis Cione et al. Megapiranha paranensis, a new genus and species of Serrasalmidae (Characiformes, Teleostei) from the Upper Miocene of Argentina. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2009; 29 (2): 350 doi:10.1671/039.029.0221

External links


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