Serrasalmus

{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| fossil_range = {{fossil range/linked|Middle Miocene|present}}

| image = Piranha-serrasalmus manueli 01.jpg

| image_caption = 6.5 in (17 cm)-long juvenile green tiger piranha (S. manueli)

| taxon = Serrasalmus

| authority = Lacepède, 1803

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = See text

| type_species = Salmo rhombeus

| type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1766

| synonyms = *Serrasalme (lapsus)

• Serrasalmo {{small|Duméril, 1806}}
• Pristobrycon {{small|Eigenmann, 1915}}

}}

Serrasalmus is a genus of piranhas. They are collectively known as pirambebas; the "typical" piranhas like the piraya piranha are nowadays placed in Pygocentrus. Like all piranhas, Serrasalmus are native to South America.

These fish are predatory, have sharp teeth and generally have a rhomboid shape. In some, the shape is more ovoid, particularly in old specimens. Some Serrasalmus species can exceed {{convert|20|in|abbr=on|disp=or}} (S. manueli and S. rhombeus, according to OPEFE), placing them among the largest Serrasalmidae.

Middle Miocene-aged fossil remains of Serrasalmus are known from the Pebas Formation of Peru.{{Cite journal |last1=Carrillo-Briceño |first1=Jorge D. |last2=Aguilera |first2=Orangel A. |last3=Benites-Palomino |first3=Aldo |last4=Hsiou |first4=Annie S. |last5=Birindelli |first5=José L. O. |last6=Adnet |first6=Sylvain |last7=Cadena |first7=Edwin-Alberto |last8=Scheyer |first8=Torsten M. |date=2021-12-20 |title=A historical vertebrate collection from the Middle Miocene of the Peruvian Amazon |journal=Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |language=en |volume=140 |issue=1 |pages=26 |doi=10.1186/s13358-021-00239-7 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021SwJP..140...26C |issn=1664-2384}}