Pygopristis denticulata

Taxobox
name = "Pygopristis denticulata"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Characiformes
familia = Characidae
subfmailia = Serrasalminae
genus = "Pygopristis"
genus_authority = Müller & Troschel, 1844
species = "P. denticulata"
binomial = "Pygopristis denticulata"
binomial_authority = (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.

"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.cite journal|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01484p038.pdf|title=Molecular systematics of Serrasalmidae: Deciphering the identities of piranha species and unraveling their evolutionary histories|first=Barbie|last=Freeman|coauthors=Nico, Leo G.; Osentoski, Matthew; Jelks, Howard L.; Collins, Timothy M.|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1484|pages=1–38|year=2007|format=PDF]

"P. denticulata" grows to about 20.0 centimetres (7.9 in) TL.FishBase species|genus=Pygopristis|species=denticulata|year=2007|month=July] "P. denticulata" has 62 chromosomes.

This fish possesses powerful dentition that can cause serious bites.

References