Piranhos, Cueca (1854); Bird-Nest Soup (1818)

[Benjamin Fortson]

>Pg. 63:  ...piranhos (Myletes macropomus)....

Re piranha/piranho, something's a little funny (fishy?) about this. The
genus of the piranha is Serassalmus. Myletes is a genus of related
characin fishes, though I've had a hard time finding Myletes macropomus
specifically (it may be the tambaqui). There's a Colossoma macropomus (or
macropomum), the black-finned pacu, that is also related (and looks awful
piranha-like). Anyway, it may not be relevant for OED purposes, but it
might be worth looking into precisely what "piranho" referred to
(possibly, of course, several similar fishes, including the piranha).

Ben