Fossil jaw reveals powerful bite
A fossilized fragment of the premaxilla, the front part of the upper jaw, from the extinct fish Megapiranha paranensis has provided new insights into its bite force, which may have been as strong as that of crocodiles.Species origins and size estimates
Megapiranha paranensis was named in 2009 after its discovery in the Paraná River region of Argentina. Early estimates suggested it could have been up to 128 centimeters long and weighed 73 kilograms, but more recent studies have reduced these numbers to about 71 centimeters in length and 10 kilograms in weight.Bite force comparison
Research published in Scientific Reports in 2012 estimated the bite force of Megapiranha paranensis to be between 1,240 and 4,749 newtons. This is far greater than the 320 newtons recorded for the modern black piranha (Serrasalmus rhombeus), which holds the current record for bite force among living bony fish.Diet and teeth structure
The teeth of Megapiranha paranensis suggest it was capable of crushing vertebrate bone, indicating a predatory ability stronger than that of modern piranhas. Its teeth arrangement is between the double row seen in herbivorous pacus and the single row in carnivorous piranhas, showing an evolutionary link between these groups.Comparison to Tyrannosaurus rex
While the bite force of Megapiranha paranensis is much lower than that of Tyrannosaurus rex, which is estimated at around 13,400 newtons, the ratio of bite force to body weight in the black piranha is more extreme. This suggests that piranhas may have lost some of their extreme crushing capabilities over time.Significance of the fossil
The discovery of Megapiranha paranensis highlights how even small fossil fragments can provide significant information about the evolutionary history of ancient species.
