Fish
Red-bellied piranha
Pygocentrus nattereriConservation statusLeast Concern
DietFish, insects, crabs and dead animals
LifespanAbout 10 years
Size and weightUp to about 33 cm
A round fish with a flat body, a silver-gray back, a reddish belly and a lower jaw that sticks out.
Triangular teeth
What makes it specialIts triangle-shaped teeth fit together like scissors. New teeth replace old ones all through its life.
Surprising factIts name as a killer is exaggerated. It lives in schools mainly for protection, and it eats a lot of dead animals.
PopulationCommon in the rivers of the Amazon basin, including in Ecuador.
Rivers and lagoons