Red-bellied piranha

Red-bellied piranha
Karlsruhe Zoo, Germany
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Characiformes
Family:	Serrasalmidae
Genus:	Pygocentrus
Species:	P. nattereri
Binomial name
Pygocentrus nattereri Kner, 1858

The red-bellied piranha, also known as the red piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri), is a type of piranha native to South America, found in the Amazon, Paraguay, Paraná and Essequibo basins, as well as coastal rivers of northeastern Brazil.^[1][2] This fish is locally abundant in its freshwater habitat.^[3] They are omnivorous foragers and feed on insects, worms, crustaceans, and fish. They are not a migratory species but do travel to seek out conditions conducive to breeding and spawning during periods of increased rainfall. Red-bellied piranhas often travel in shoals as a predatory defense but rarely exhibit group hunting behavior. Acoustic communication is common and is sometimes exhibited along with aggressive behaviors. They are a popular aquarium fish.