SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — An angler in northern California says he probably won’t stick his finger inside the mouth of the next Amazonian fish with human-like teeth that he catches.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports glass worker Geoffrey Arend caught the fish at Roberts Lake on Aug. 14. A photo shows Arend pulling open its mouth to reveal a small row of crooked, yellow teeth.
Fish and Wildlife Spokesman Andrew Hughan says the fish is a rare, omnivorous freshwater pacu, a species with a bloodline that can be traced to South American piranhas.
Hughan said the invasive species doesn’t have a foothold in California and is not a threat, but shouldn’t be released back into the water when caught.
Pacu are illegal in California. Hughan said people buy them outside the state and dispose of them in California’s lakes and waterways.
