Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Siluriformes
- Family
- Siluridae
- Genus
- Serrasalmus
- Species
- spilopleura
Habitat
Speckled piranhas inhabit freshwater rivers, streams, and flooded forests in South America, particularly in the Amazon basin including the Sucunduri, Guaporé, and Paraná River basins. They prefer warm, slow-moving waters with abundant vegetation and submerged structures for cover. These environments are typically in tropical regions with temperatures around 24-28°C.
Diet
Speckled piranhas are omnivorous, feeding on smaller fish, insects, crustaceans, and plant matter such as fruits and seeds. They exhibit aggressive feeding behavior, often attacking in schools during times of prey abundance, and are most active feeders in the early morning and late afternoon. Opportunistic scavengers, they will also consume dead animals when available.
Behavior
Speckled piranhas are highly social, forming schools for protection and hunting, and they can become aggressive when defending territory or during feeding frenzies. They are diurnal, most active during the day, and exhibit territorial behavior around breeding sites. In the wild, they use rapid swimming and group coordination to evade predators or ambush prey.
Conservation Status
Listed as Not Evaluated by IUCN.