Tetraodontiformes 1

Order Tetraodontiformes

Modern Fishes

Tetraodontiformes 2

The Tetraodontiform Body

• Tetraodontiform fishes vary distinctly in their body form:

Gill openings are usually small Pelvic fins are absent Body plan ranges from globular, triangular

to extremely compressed

Tetraodontiformes 3

The Tetraodontiform Body

Gray Triggerfish

Ocean Sunfish

Scrawled Cowfish

Striped Burrfish

Tetraodontiformes 4

Tetraodontiform Protection

• Since they are vulnerable to predators most posses some form of protection:

Burrfish

Tetraodontiformes 5

Tetraodontiform Taxonomy

• Balistidaeo Leatherjackets

Filefish & Triggerfish

• Ostraciidae o Boxfishes

• Tetraodontidaeo Puffers

• Diodontidaeo Porcupinefish

• Molidaeo Molas

Tetraodontiformes 6

Family Balistidae

• Triggerfish & Filefish• Common species:

o Planehead Filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus)

o Gray Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus)

o Humuhumu nukunuku apua’a Hawaiian Triggerfish

Tetraodontiformes 7

Balistidae Habits

• Usually slow moving, brightly colored reef dwellers

• Both have robust dorsal spines and a pelvic apparatus which is slightly distensible

Filefish feeding on a Moon Jelly

Tetraodontiformes 8

Triggerfish

• Has 3 dorsal spines, compared to 2 of the filefish

Trigger Mechanism

Tetraodontiformes 9

Triggerfish

Tetraodontiformes 10

Filefish

Tetraodontiformes 11

Family Ostraciidae

• Boxfishes• Common species:

o Scrawled Cowfish (Lactophrys quadricornis)

Tetraodontiformes 12

Ostraciidae Characteristics

• Body is enclosed in a bony carapace, and a spinous dorsal is absento Some spp. secrete

ostracitoxinScrawled Cowfish

Tetraodontiformes 13

Family Tetraodontidae

• Puffers• Common species:

o Northern Puffer (Sphoeroides maculatus)

Tetraodontiformes 14

Tetraodontidae Characteristics

• Have strong beak-like jaws with four teeth

• Slow moving fishes, that rely on toxins and the ability to puff themselves up for protection

Tetraodontiformes 15

Tetrodotoxin

• Tetrodotoxin found in the internal organs o Can be fatal to

humanso Eaten in Japan

(Fugu) and prepared by licensed cooks

• Symptomso Slight numbness of

the lips and tongueo Increased paralysis,

unable to move, respiratory distress, affected speech

Tetraodontiformes 16

Family Diodontidae

• Porcupinefish• Common species:

o Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi)

Tetraodontiformes 17

Diodontidae Characteristics

• Have two fused teeth in the moutho Family with

inflatable bodyo Body covered in

well developed sharp spines (some erect when body inflated)

Tetraodontiformes 18

Family Molidae

• Molas / Sunfish• Common species:

o Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola)

Tetraodontiformes 19

Molidae Characteristics

• Large, sluggish pelagic predators that feed on jellyfish and other invertebrates

• Considered to be the most fecund vertebrates in the world, over 300 million eggs