1 / 19

Exploring the Diverse Tetraodontiformes - Modern Fishes of Unique Body Forms

Dive into the world of Tetraodontiformes fishes, characterized by varied body shapes including globular, triangular, and compressed forms. Discover their distinct features like small gill openings, absence of pelvic fins, and protective mechanisms. Explore families like Balistidae, Ostraciidae, Tetraodontidae, Diodontidae, and Molidae, each home to fascinating species such as Triggerfish, Cowfish, and Sunfish. Learn about the deadly tetrodotoxin found in Puffers and the exceptional fecundity of Molas. Unveil the intriguing behaviors, feeding habits, and survival strategies of these captivating marine creatures.

tomas
Download Presentation

Exploring the Diverse Tetraodontiformes - Modern Fishes of Unique Body Forms

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  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. Gray Triggerfish Scrawled Cowfish Ocean Sunfish Striped Burrfish The Tetraodontiform Body Tetraodontiformes

  4. Tetraodontiform Protection • Since they are vulnerable to predators most posses some form of protection: Burrfish Tetraodontiformes

  5. Balistidae Leatherjackets Filefish & Triggerfish Ostraciidae Boxfishes Tetraodontidae Puffers Diodontidae Porcupinefish Molidae Molas Tetraodontiform Taxonomy Tetraodontiformes

  6. Family Balistidae • Triggerfish & Filefish • Common species: • Planehead Filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus) • Gray Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) • 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: • Scrawled Cowfish (Lactophrys quadricornis) Tetraodontiformes

  12. Ostraciidae Characteristics • Body is enclosed in a bony carapace, and a spinous dorsal is absent • Some spp. secrete ostracitoxin Scrawled Cowfish Tetraodontiformes

  13. Family Tetraodontidae • Puffers • Common species: • 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 found in the internal organs Can be fatal to humans Eaten in Japan (Fugu) and prepared by licensed cooks Symptoms Slight numbness of the lips and tongue Increased paralysis, unable to move, respiratory distress, affected speech Tetrodotoxin Tetraodontiformes

  16. Family Diodontidae • Porcupinefish • Common species: • Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi) Tetraodontiformes

  17. Diodontidae Characteristics • Have two fused teeth in the mouth • Family with inflatable body • Body covered in well developed sharp spines (some erect when body inflated) Tetraodontiformes

  18. Family Molidae • Molas / Sunfish • Common species: • 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 Tetraodontiformes

More Related