TABLE 1. Distribution of key characters (as currently known) across described piraniid species (except the poorly known A.? plasi) to aid taxonomic recognition. Taxa: P. m.: Pirania muricata; P. e.: Pirania? ericia; P. p.: Pirania? peregrinata; A. a.: Auraeopirania auraeum; A. s.: Auraeopirania sciurucauda; A. py.: Auraeopirania pykitia; A. p.: Auraeopirania pinwyddeni; C. l.: Cannapirania llanfawrensis; C. c.: Cannapirania canna; C. v.: Cannapirania vermiformis; P. g.: Pellipirania gloria.
| Character | P. m. | P. e. | P. p. | A. a. | A. s. | A. p. | A. py | C. l. | C. c. | C. v. | P. g. |
| Dermal sculpture | x | ||||||||||
| Narrowed osculum | x | x | x | x | x | (x) | |||||
| Narrow tubular body | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
| Body widens upwards | x | x | x | ||||||||
| Clearly rounded prostalia bases | x | x | x | x | x | x | |||||
| Open conical prostalia bases | x | x | |||||||||
| Curtain-like basal tuft | ? | x | |||||||||
| Radiating basal array | x | ? | x | x | |||||||
| Irregular basal tuft | x | x? | x | x | x | ||||||
| No radiating fine diacts | x | x | |||||||||
| Extremely dense radiating fine monaxons | x | x | x | x | |||||||
| Prostalia not distinct from fine monaxons | x | x | x | ||||||||
| Branching | x | x | x? | x? | x | ||||||
| Distinct marginalia | x | x | x | x | x |
