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Vampire tetra — printable fact sheet
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Vampire tetra
Hydrolycus scomberoides
The vampire tetra or payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides and its relatives) is a silver, deep-bodied characin of the fast water and rapids of the Amazon and Orinoco, and it is armed with a pair of fangs on the lower jaw that can reach 10 to 15 centimetres in a large fish. Those teet…
Did you know?
- The vampire tetra’s lower fangs can grow so long they extend past its jaw, earning it a reputation as one of the most intimidating freshwater fish in the world.
- Its lower fangs are so long that its upper jaw has two holes for them to slide into when its mouth closes. It regularly preys on piranhas. It impales prey rather than biting through it, striking at speed from below. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with blood-feeding and poses no threat to swimmers.
What I learned
Draw the vampire tetra
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