A piranha or piraña (/pɪˈrɑːnjə/, /pɪˈrænjə/, or /pɪˈrɑːnə/; Portuguese: [piˈɾɐ̃ɲɐ] or [piˈɾɐ̃j̃ɐ], Spanish: [piˈɾaɲa]), a member of family Serrasalmidae, or a member of the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. They are freshwater fish that inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. Although often described as extremely predatory and mainly feeding on fish, their dietary habits vary extensively, and they will also take plant material, leading to their classification as omnivorous. Piranhas have one of the strongest bites found in bony fishes. Relative to body mass, the black piranha (Serrasalmus rhombeus) produces one of the most forceful bites measured in vertebrates. This extremely powerful and dangerous bite is generated by large jaw muscles (adductor mandibulae) that are attached closely to the tip of the jaw, conferring the piranha with a mechanical advantage that favors force production over bite speed. Strong jaws combined with finely serrated teeth make them adept at tearing flesh. (Source: Wikipedia.org, CC BY-SA)