Animal's Body: size, color, type of covering and special body parts.

Piranha can be from 6 to 16 inches long. They weigh up to 4 pounds.

They are usually silver and red.

Their skin is slimey. The slime keeps bacteria off the fish and helps them move through the water.

They have a small mouth with very sharp teeth. The teeth help them catch, kill and eat their prey.

Animal's Habitat: location in the world they live, type of habitat, and type of home.

They are found in South America in the Amazon River basin.

They are found in fresh water rivers, but also rivers near the ocean that have some saltwater mixed in.

Animals Living Habits: eating, sleeping and moving.

Piranha feed on other fish, crayfish, small snakes, water bugs, seeds, fruit, and plants.

They have fins on their stomachs and backs to help them swim up and down, and side-to-side. They also have fins on their tails to help them swim forward.

Fun Facts

• The word piranha means "fish tooth."
• Piranhas attacks on humans are extremely rare.
• There are no documented reports of anyone being killed in a piranha attack.

For information, contact John Dyer, Media Specialist, Aquila Primary Center.