Tetraodontiformes 1

Order Tetraodontiformes

Modern Fishes

Tetraodontiformes 2

Tetraodontiformes

• The most derived of all bony fisheso The most notable modification is the

reduction of the internal skeleton

Tetraodontiformes 3

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 4

The Tetraodontiform Body

Gray Triggerfish

Ocean Sunfish

Scrawled Cowfish

Striped Burrfish

Tetraodontiformes 5

Tetraodontiform Protection• Since they are

vulnerable to predators most posses some form of protection:

Burrfish

Tetraodontiformes 6

Tetraodontiform Taxonomy• Balistidae

o Leatherjackets Filefish & Triggerfish

• Ostraciidae o Boxfishes

• Tetraodontidaeo Puffers

• Diodontidaeo Porcupinefish

• Molidaeo Molas

Tetraodontiformes 7

Family Balistidae• Triggerfish & Filefish• Common species:

o Planehead Filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus)

o Gray Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus)

o Humuhumu nukunuku apua’a Hawaiian Triggerfish

Tetraodontiformes 8

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 9

Triggerfish• Has 3 dorsal

spines, compared to 2 of the filefish

Trigger Mechanism

Tetraodontiformes 10

Triggerfish

Tetraodontiformes 12

Filefish

Tetraodontiformes 13

Family Ostraciidae• Boxfishes• Common species:

o Scrawled Cowfish (Lactophrys quadricornis)

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Ostraciidae Characteristics• Body is enclosed

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

ostracitoxinScrawled Cowfish

Tetraodontiformes 15

Family Tetraodontidae• Puffers• Common species:

o Northern Puffer (Sphoeroides maculatus)

Tetraodontiformes 16

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 17

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 18

Family Diodontidae• Porcupinefish• Common species:

o Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi)

Tetraodontiformes 19

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 20

Family Molidae• Molas / Sunfish• Common species:

o Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola)

Tetraodontiformes 21

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