Wimple piranha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wimple piranha |
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The wimple piranha, known scientifically as Catoprion mento, is a special type of piranha found in South America. Unlike most piranhas, this fish mainly eats fish scales. It's a small fish, and there's a bit of a debate among scientists about whether it's a "true" piranha or not. If it is, it would be the smallest piranha species in the world!
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About the Wimple Piranha
Is it a True Piranha?
For a long time, the wimple piranha was not thought to be a "true" piranha. This is because its teeth look different from other piranhas. It also has two rows of teeth on its upper jaw, while most piranhas have only one.
However, scientists have used molecular analysis (looking at its DNA) to study its family tree. This research suggests that the wimple piranha should be included in the group of "true" piranhas. This helps make the piranha group monophyletic, meaning all members share a common ancestor.
Where it Lives
The wimple piranha lives in several large river systems in South America. You can find it in the Amazon, Orinoco, Essequibo, and upper Paraguay River basins.
This fish prefers clear freshwater streams and lakes. It especially likes places where there are lots of plants growing underwater.
What it Looks Like
The wimple piranha can grow to about 15 cm (6.5 in) long. It has a very unique lower jaw that curves outwards. This curve makes a noticeable bump, almost like a chin.
In fact, its scientific name mento means 'chin' because of this special feature. Its smaller, cone-shaped teeth on the upper jaw stick out a bit when its mouth is closed. The wimple piranha also has 62 chromosomes, which is a bit more than other fish in its family.
How the Wimple Piranha Eats
A Special Diet
The wimple piranha has a very powerful bite. It can cause serious injuries if it bites something.
This fish has one of the most unusual diets of any fish. For most of its life, fish scales make up a huge part of what it eats. Adult wimple piranhas eat almost only scales. This special way of eating scales is called lepidophagy.
Hunting for Scales
In labs, wimple piranhas have been seen eating scales from fish much bigger than themselves. They even eat scales from other wimple piranhas!
When scales are floating in the water, the wimple piranha uses "suction feeding." This means it quickly opens its mouth to suck in the scales.
But to get scales from a living fish, it uses a method called "ram feeding." The piranha charges at another fish. The force of this collision actually knocks scales off the other fish. Then, the wimple piranha uses its teeth to scrape more scales from the fish's body. It eats scales both during the attack and afterwards. These attacks only remove scales and do not hurt the muscles of the other fish.
See also
In Spanish: Catoprion mento para niños
