KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 26 -- Piranhas are not native to Malaysia.

But that distinction has come into focus after fish suspected to be piranhas were reportedly caught around Klau Dam in Raub, Pahang, prompting the Department of Fisheries (DOF) to investigate whether the non-native fish may have been introduced into Malaysian waters.

So far, however, the department says there is no concrete evidence that a piranha population has become established at the dam.

So what exactly are piranhas, how dangerous are they, and how did fish resembling a species associated with South America come to be reported in Pahang?

Here is what we know.

What are piranhas?

Piranhas are freshwater fish belonging to the family Serrasalmidae, a group that also inc...