The genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Serrasalmus consists of several species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of piranha

Piranha

A piranha or piraña is a member of family Characidae in order Characiformes, an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers. In Venezuela, they are called caribes...

s in family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Serrasalmidae of the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Characidae

Characidae

The Characidae, characids or characins are a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the order Characiformes. The name "characins" is the historical one, but scientists today tend to prefer "characids" to reflect their status as a by and large monophyletic group at family...

. They are collectively known as pirambebas; the "typical" piranhas like the Piraya Piranha are nowadays placed in Pygocentrus

Pygocentrus

Pygocentrus is a genus of the piranha family Characidae. All are native to tropical South America. It is mainly located in the Amazon, San Francisco and Orinoco rivers. Three especies are fully recognized. P. cariba in the Orinoco; P. nattereri Kner, 1869 in the Amazonas: and P. piraya in the San...

.

These fish are predatory, have sharp teeth and generally have a rhomboid

Rhomboid

Traditionally, in two-dimensional geometry, a rhomboid is a parallelogram in which adjacent sides are of unequal lengths and angles are oblique.A parallelogram with sides of equal length is a rhombus but not a rhomboid....

 shape. In some, it is more ovoid, particularly in old specimens. Some Serrasalmus species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 can exceed 20 inches/50 cm (S.manueli, S.rhombeus and P.piraya, according to OPEFE), placing them among the largest Serrasalmidae.

Species

Undescribed distinct species are known to exist. The status of others is still in need of study.

• Serrasalmus altispinis
• Serrasalmus altuvei – Altuvei Piranha, caribe azul
• Serrasalmus auriventris
• Serrasalmus brandtii – Brandtii Piranha, Green Piranha, cavaca
• Serrasalmus compressus – Compressus Piranha
• Serrasalmus eigenmanni – Eigenmann's Piranha
• Serrasalmus elongatus
  Serrasalmus elongatus
  Serrasalmus elongatus is a slender and elongated shaped piranha from the S. humeralis group. It is commonly known as Elongated Piranha or Pike Piranha in reference to its shape. In its native range it is one of the smaller piranha species locally termed caribe pinche , like the Iridescent Piranha...
  
  – Elongated Piranha, Pike Piranha, "caribe pinche"
• Serrasalmus geryi – Violet Line Piranha
  Violet line piranha
  Violet line piranhas or Gery's piranhas are a species of fish found in the lower Tocantins and Araguaia Rivers of Brazil. This rare Serrasalmus is the one piranha of the genus Serrasalmus than can coexist with others of the same species...
  
  , Gery's Piranha
• Serrasalmus gibbus – Castelnau's Piranha, Gibbus Piranha, "caribe dorado"
• Serrasalmus gouldingi – Blue Tiger Piranha, Goulding's Piranha
• Serrasalmus hastatus
• Serrasalmus hollandi – Holland's Piranha
• Serrasalmus humeralis – Humeralis Piranha
• Serrasalmus irritans – Iridescent Piranha, "caribe pinche"
• Serrasalmus maculatus – Spotted Piranha Maculatus Piranha
• Serrasalmus manueli – Green Tiger Piranha, Manuel's Piranha, caribe parguasero
• Serrasalmus marginatus
• Serrasalmus medinai – Medinai Piranha, Red-throated Piranha
• Serrasalmus nalseni – caribe pintado
• Serrasalmus nigricans
• Serrasalmus nigricauda
• Serrasalmus neveriensis – Rio Neveri Piranha, caribe de río
• Serrasalmus rhombeus
  Serrasalmus rhombeus
  Serrasalmus rhombeus , is a fish of the piranha family Characidae found in South America in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, the north and eastern Guiana Shield rivers, and northeastern Brazilian coastal rivers...
  
  (including S. niger) – Redeye Piranha, Brazilian Black Piranha, Peruvian Black Piranha, Rhombeus Piranha, White Piranha, "black piranha", "spotted piranha", caribe ojo rojo, caribe amarillo
• Serrasalmus sanchezi – Sharp-snouted Piranha, Ruby-throated Diamond Piranha, "ruby-red piranha"
• Serrasalmus serrulatus – caribe cortador
• Serrasalmus spilopleura – Speckled Piranha, Gold Piranha, Black-banded Piranha, Black Diamond Piranha, Spilopleura Piranha, Gold Spilopleura, Purple Spilopleura, "ruby-red piranha", "black piranha", "caribe dorado"