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Green pufferfish | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
Family: | Tetraodontidae |
Genus: | Dichotomyctere |
Species: | D. fluviatilis |
Binomial name | |
Dichotomyctere fluviatilis (F. Hamilton, 1822) | |
Synonyms | |
Tetraodon fluviatilis [2] |
The green pufferfish or Ceylon pufferfish (Dichotomyctere fluviatilis, syn. Tetraodon fluviatilis) is a species of pufferfish found in South and Southeast Asia. [3] [4] Its habitat includes rivers, estuaries, lakes and flood plains. It lives in fresh to slightly brackish water.
This species is primarily carnivorous, eating mollusks, crustaceans and invertebrates. Occasionally, algae and plant matter as well as fish scales and other ocean detritus is consumed. [5] In captivity, it will eat some vegetation and commercial fish food. The green pufferfish has a sharp front beak, allowing it to crush shellfish and crabs.[ citation needed ]
The green pufferfish grows up to a total length (TL) of 17 centimetres (6.7 in), [3] with a white underbelly and a metallic yellow or green top covered in black spots, bulging eyes which are metallic blue colour, and a very thick and broad forehead. Its body usually has a leathery texture, but green pufferfish grown in captivity tend to have smoother skin. Its flesh contains a virulent toxin, and should not be eaten.
This fish is generally peaceful, but becomes more aggressive as it ages.[ ambiguous ] The green pufferfish is able to scare off predators by inflating its body with both water and air, more than doubling in size. Most pufferfish have spines, as well, and these generally help ward off predators.
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.
Takifugu, also known by the Japanese name fugu, is a genus of pufferfish with 25 species, most of which are native to salt and brackish waters of the northwest Pacific, but a few species are found in freshwater in Asia or more widely in the Indo-Pacific region. Their diet consists mostly of algae, molluscs, invertebrates and sometimes crustaceans.
Tetraodon is a genus in the pufferfish family (Tetraodontidae) found in freshwater in Africa. It is the type genus of the family and historically included numerous other species; several Asian species were moved to the genera Dichotomyctere, Leiodon and Pao in 2013.
The European perch, also known as the common perch, redfin perch, big-scaled redfin, English perch, Euro perch, Eurasian perch, Eurasian river perch, Hatch, poor man's rockfish or in Anglophone parts of Europe, simply the perch, is a predatory freshwater fish native to Europe and North Asia. It is the type species of the genus Perca.
The Mbu pufferfish, also known as Mbuna pufferfish, giant pufferfish, or giant freshwater pufferfish, is a carnivorous freshwater pufferfish originating from the middle and lower sections of the Congo River in Africa, as well as the east coast of Lake Tanganyika near the Malagarasi River mouth.
Pao abei is a species of freshwater pufferfish from the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong river basins in Southeast Asia. It is named after Japanese ichthyologist Tokiharu Abe.
The Congo puffer or potato puffer is a freshwater pufferfish found in areas of the Congo River in Africa, including rapids.
Dichotomyctere ocellatus, commonly the figure 8 puffer or eyespot puffer, is a pufferfish found in freshwater in Southeast Asia. It is known from the lower reaches of the Mekong (Cambodia), the Peninsular Malaysia as well as Borneo.
Dichotomyctere nigroviridis or the green spotted puffer is a species of pufferfish. It is found across South and Southeast Asia in coastal freshwater, but survives the longest in brackish to saltwater, and brackish water habitats. D. nigroviridis reaches a typical maximum length of about 15 cm (6 in) (5.9 in), with reports of up to 17 cm (6.7 in). In February 2009, it was successfully bred in captivity at University of Florida using a new variation of the ovarian lavage technique.
The dwarf pufferfish, also known as the Malabar pufferfish, pygmy pufferfish, or pea pufferfish, is a small freshwater pufferfish endemic to Kerala and southern Karnataka in Southwest India. They are popular in aquaria for their bright colours and small size. At a maximum total length of 3.5 cm, dwarf pufferfish are one of the smallest pufferfish in the world. They closely resemble the related Carinotetraodon imitator, and the two can be difficult to distinguish. C. imitator was not recognised as a different species until 1999.
Pao suvattii, or Arrowhead puffer, is a species of pufferfish. It is a medium-sized pufferfish, reaching 11.5 cm (4.5 in) SL. It is also known as a Pignose Puffer or a Mekong Puffer. It is locally common in the Lower Mekong basin, and is exclusively a freshwater fish.
Pao baileyi, the hairy pufferfish, is a species of pufferfish usually found in the rocky habitats, including rapids, of the Mekong mainstream and its larger tropical freshwater tributaries.
Pao barbatus is a species of freshwater pufferfish found in the Mekong River in southeast Asia.
Leiodon cutcutia, the ocellated pufferfish, is a species of pufferfish native to southern Asia from India to the Malay Archipelago where it is found in various bodies of fresh and brackish waters. This species grows to a length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) TL. It is currently the only known member of its genus, but it was included in Tetraodon until 2013.
Dichotomyctere kretamensis is a species of freshwater pufferfish known only from northern Borneo.
Pao palembangensis, is a species of freshwater pufferfish native to Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia in Southeast Asia. Its commonly called the humpback puffer or dragon puffer. It is bred for aquaria as an ornamental fish because of its beautiful skin colouration and pattern.
Tetraodon schoutedeni is a species of pufferfish native to Africa's Congo Basin. Growing to a length of 9–11.5 cm (3.5–4.5 in), the species features a slightly rounded, globular body plan that tapers into a teardrop towards the tail; a design often seen in puffers. Additionally, they feature a light brownish-green body covered in black spots which derive its common name of the "Spotted Congo Puffer". this brownish-green body plan features scaleless skin that may oftentimes change color depending on environmental conditions and possible stress responses within the individual fish. The rest of the body design is conducive of the general anatomy of species belonging to the Tetraodon genus. These features include largely independently moving eyes, the ability to inflate their body and puff up as a defense mechanism, and a sharp beak composed of fused teeth that allow them to crack open their prey, which generally consists of insects and shelled organisms. Moreover, they contain the most distinctive feature of Tetraodon, which is tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin that is enveloped within the skin and internal organs of the fish, although the species is not nearly as toxic as others of its shared genus.
The smooth toadfish is a species of fish in the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae. It is native to shallow coastal and estuarine waters of southeastern Australia, where it is widespread and abundant. French naturalist Christophe-Paulin de La Poix de Fréminville described the species in 1813, though early records confused it with its close relative, the common toadfish. The two are the only members of the genus Tetractenos after going through several taxonomic changes since discovery.
Pao turgidus is a species of freshwater pufferfish native to the Mekong basin. It may also occur in the Chao Phraya basin in Thailand. This species grows to a length of 18.5 centimetres (7.3 in) SL.
Dichotomyctere is a genus of relatively small pufferfish found in both fresh and brackish waters in south and southeast Asia. Its species were generally included in the genus Tetraodon until 2013. The largest species of Dichotomyctere reach up to 17 cm (6.7 in) in length.