Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, blowers, blowies, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, toadle, honey toads, sugar toads, and sea squab. They are morphologically similar to the closely related porcupinefish, which have large external spines. The scientific name refers to the four large teeth, fused into an upper and lower plate, which are used for crushing the hard shells of crustaceans and mollusks, their natural prey.
The Tetraodontiformes are an order of highly derived ray-finned fish, also called the Plectognathi. Sometimes these are classified as a suborder of the order Perciformes. The Tetraodontiformes are represented by 10 extant families and at least 349 species overall; most are marine and dwell in and around tropical coral reefs, but a few species are found in freshwater streams and estuaries. They have no close relatives, and descend from a line of coral-dwelling species that emerged around 80 million years ago.
Neopterygii is a subclass of ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii). Neopterygii includes the Holostei and the Teleostei, of which the latter comprise the vast majority of extant fishes, and over half of all living vertebrate species. While living holosteans include only freshwater taxa, teleosts are diverse in both freshwater and marine environments. Many new species of teleosts are scientifically described each year.
Anomotodon is an extinct genus of shark related to the extant goblin shark. The distribution of Anomotodon fossils is worldwide, in formations indicating that members of the genus lived from the Early Cretaceous epoch through the Eocene epoch, and perhaps through the Oligocene as well. Described species include A. novus, A. plicatus, A. principalis, and A. multidenticula.
Birgeria is a genus of carnivorous marine ray-finned fish from the Triassic period. Birgeria had a global distribution. Fossils were found in Madagascar, Spitsbergen, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, China, Russia, Canada and Nevada, United States. The oldest fossils are from Griesbachian aged beds of the Wordie Creek Formation of East Greenland.
Eospinus daniltshenkoi is an extinct tetraodontid bony fish from the Eocene. Its fossils are from the Danata Formation lagerstatten of Ypresian Turkmenistan.
Cretazeus rinaldii is an extinct genus of ray-finned fish from the Campanian age of Nardò, Italy. It is the oldest known zeiform fish, and cannot yet be placed in any family.
Plectocretacicus is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the lower Cenomanian. It contains a single species, P. clarae. Plectocretacicus is the earliest known member of the order Tetraodontiformes.
Opsithrissops is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Thanetian stage of the Paleocene epoch. It is a 120 centimetres (3.9 ft) fish in the family Osteoglossiformes which includes other bony-tongues such as the extant species of arowana and arapaima.
Eosalmo is an extinct genus of ancient salmonid that lived during the Eocene epoch.
Mioceratodus is an extinct genus of lungfish in the family Neoceratodontidae, which also contains the extant Queensland lungfish. It is known only from Oligocene and Miocene-aged sediments in Australia, although phylogenetic evidence supports it having first diverged from its closest relative, Neoceratodus, during the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous period.
Acentrophorus is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish from the Wuchiapingian of England and Germany (Kupferschiefer). There may also be a Triassic occurrence in Australia.
Dwykia is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Carboniferous period in what is now South Africa. Fossils were recovered from the Upper Witteberg Series.
Willomorichthys is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Carboniferous period in what is now South Africa. Fossils were recovered from the Upper Witteberg Series.
Sundayichthys is an extinct genus of prehistoric bony fish that lived during the Carboniferous period in what is now South Africa. Fossils were recovered from the Upper Witteberg Series.
Tarasiiformes is an extinct order of prehistoric ray-finned fish.
The Yaquina Formation is a geologic formation in Oregon. It preserves fossils dating back to the Paleogene period.
Triacanthus biaculeatus, also known as the short-nosed tripod fish, or silver horse-fish is a species of marine fish in the family Triacanthidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Its caudal fin is yellow. As the fish looks like a helicopter, it is locally known as the Helicopter fish in West Bengal.It has a long history providing food for the native culture.
Percomorpha is a large clade of ray-finned fish with more than 17 000 known species that includes the tuna, seahorses, gobies, cichlids, flatfish, wrasse, perches, anglerfish, and pufferfish.
