Pacu

This article is about several fish species commonly called "pacu". For the medical recovery unit, see PACU. For other uses, see Pacu (disambiguation).

Pacu
Large pacu at the Shedd Aquarium
Large pacu at the Shedd Aquarium
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Serrasalmidae
Genera

Pacu (Portuguese pronunciation: [paˈku]) is a common name used to refer to several species of omnivorous South American freshwater serrasalmid fish related to piranhas. Pacu and piranha do not have similar teeth, the main difference being jaw alignment; piranha have pointed, razor-sharp teeth in a pronounced underbite, whereas pacu have squarer, straighter teeth and a less severe underbite, or a slight overbite.[1] Pacu, unlike piranha, mainly feed on plant material and not flesh or scales.[2] Additionally, the pacu can reach much larger sizes than piranha, at up to 1.08 m (3 ft 6+1⁄2 in) in total length and 40 kg (88 lb) in weight.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Arkansas was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Walters, Martin; Johnson, Jinny (2003). Encyclopedia of Animals. Marks and Spencer p.l.c. p. 113. ISBN 1-84273-964-6.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Colossoma macropomum". FishBase. March 2017 version.