Prof. Antonio Machado – Allison is a Biologist who graduated from the Universidad Central de Venezuela (Central University of Venezuela). He got his Ph.D. from the George Washington University and the Smithsonian Institute (Washington. D.C.). He is a titled Professor from the Institute of Tropical Zoology (Instituto de Zoología Tropical, Venezuela) and a Professor of the School of Biology (Escuela de Biología, Venezuela).

His area of scientific interest and teaching is Animal Biosystematics, were he has incurred in theoretical and practical aspects in: Traditional Systematic, Numerical and Phylogenetics, and Ecology and Evolution of fish. Recently he has demonstrated interest on the factors that affect biodiversity, conservation of the aquatic fauna and the entropic changes that affect bodies of water. Machado also has had interest in the origin and historical descriptive aspects of the Venezuelan fauna.

Because of his scientific production, and his career as an educator he has been honored as an Associate Investigator of the Smithsonian Institute (Washington. D.C.), American Museum of Natural History (New York), Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) and Invited Investigator of the Philadelphia Science Academy.

He is a third seat individual and Academic Secretary of the Academy of Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences of Venezuela and President of the Foundation of the Academy (FUDECI).

Prof. Antonio Machado - Allison has also written the following books:

Prof. Antonio Machado - Allison in conjunction with Prof. William L. Fink have described the following piranha species: 
Pristobrycon maculipinnis (1992)
Pristobrycon careospinus (1992)
Serrasalmus gouldingi (1992)
Serrasalmus neveriensis (1993)
Serrasalmus hastatus (2001)

BELOW: Video of Prof. Antonio Machado - Allison explaining the origin of the word “piranha”.