A New Cryptic Species of Piranha Serrasalmus (Serrasalmidae) from the Bolivian Amazon, Upper Madeira River System

Abstract

A new species of piranha in the genus Serrasalmus (Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) is described from tributaries of the upper Madeira River drainage in the Bolivian Amazon Basin. This species shares a similar morphology with S. compressus but showing differences in body depth, body color and shape, and can be morphologically distinguished from its congeners. Genetic analysis of COI sequence data revealed minimal divergence (~1%) from morphologically recognized species, indicating that although S. compressus is the species most similar in appearance, genetically it shows the closest relationship to S. compressus and S. magallanesi.