How long would it take piranhas to eat a person?

A group of hundreds of piranhas could devour an adult weighing 80 kg in half an hour. However, of the 35 known species of this freshwater fish, few swim in shoals with more than 20 individuals. Furthermore, biologist Jansen Zuanon, from the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, states that a fatal attack on a healthy person is something very rare. Another caveat: even if this “banquet” were to happen, only the victim’s muscles and viscera would be consumed.

Anyway, it doesn’t hurt to know: why is the piranha such an efficient predator?

1) Meat Rodizio

O stomach it is quite elastic and able to receive whole pieces of food. This way, the piranha doesn’t have to waste time chewing – it can just concentrate on biting the victim. And the attacks are coordinated in relays. Each fish in the school takes a piece of prey and moves away, giving way to the next one. It is the relay movement of the attack that generates those air bubbles on the surface of the water.

2) Blood test

Its two U-shaped nostrils are lined internally with cells that can identify odors in water. It is by the smell of blood that the piranha hunts its victims. It is also guided by abnormal vibrations in the environment, detected by special cells present mainly along its sideline.

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3) Scissor mouth

You teeth they measure about 4 mm each, are triangular and very sharp. They fit perfectly when the mouth closes, producing precise, scissor-like cuts. In addition, the dentition is exchanged in blocks (all on the left side or all on the right side), preserving the efficiency of the bite.

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CONSULTANCY Gislene Vilara, professor specializing in fish ecology at the Federal University of Amazonas.