Feb 23, 2021 Distant Cousin of the Piranha is Found in New River Lagoon A new species of freshwater fish commonly known as “pacu” has been discovered in the New River Lagoon by fishermen from nearby Lemonal. Pacu is an omnivorous fish that originated in South America and is related to the piranha. Unlike its distant cousin, pacu do not have similar teeth. Instead, they have squarer, straighter teeth much like those of humans. The sighting was made earlier this month and the presence of this invasive, non-native species suggests that it may have been introduced via the transboundary watershed between Belize and Guatemala. According to Rigoberto Quintana, the Fisheries Department became aware of the discovery on February eleventh.