About Petenia splendida Günther, 1862
This piscivorous fish species, Petenia splendida Günther, 1862, can reach a standard length of 50 centimetres, or 20 inches. Individuals of this species have a laterally compressed body, an elongated head, and a prominent jaw, along with large, rounded fins. Their base body coloration ranges from pale pink to deep red to gold. Males of this species are slightly larger than females, have more intense red coloration, while females are typically rounder in body shape. A unique trait of this species is its jaws, which can extend to more than one-quarter of the entire body length. This ability lets it prey on fairly large fish, and also allows it to suck smaller fish directly into its mouth. This species is native to the Atlantic slope of tropical Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. It tends to live in slower-moving sections of rivers and lakes.
