Cyclichthys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Swelltoads | |
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| Cyclichthys spilostylus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Diodontidae |
| Genus: | Cyclichthys |
| Species | |
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Members of the family diodontidae, species of the genus Cyclicthys are usually known as swelltoads.
Contents |
[edit] Distinguishing features
Fish of the genus Cyclicthys have;
- three-rooted, rigid spines (actually modified scales) distributed over their bodies.
- beak-like jaws, used to crush their hard-shelled prey (crustaceans and molluscs).[1]
They differ from the porcupinefishes (genus Diodon), which have moveable spines.
[edit] Defensive Mechanisms
- Like Tetraodontidae (a.k.a; Blowfish) they have the ability to inflate themselves. Their inflated size combined with their spines make them extremely difficult to swallow.
- They may be poisonous, through the accumulation of tetrodotoxin or ciguatera.[1]
[edit] Species
- Hardenburg's burrfish, Cyclichthys hardenbergi (de Beaufort, 1939)
- Birdbeak burrfish, Cyclichthys orbicularis (Bloch, 1785)
- Spotbase burrfish, Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis & Randall, 1982)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) Coral reef guide; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2
