Transcript Porcupine Fish - Ambergris Caye

By: Chantale Lacroix
Species
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Diodontidae
Four different Species
•Long-spine porcupine fish
•Spot-fin porcupine fish
•Black-blotched porcupine fish
•Slender-spined porcupine fish
Habitat
•The Porcupine Fish is found in shallow water in
Tropical seas all over the world.
•They occupy caves and lagoons in reefs.
•In 7-167 feet of water.
Differences between Porcupine and Puffer Fish
•The Porcupine Fish are
often confused with the
Puffer fish but they are
actually two different
species.
•Porcupine fish has thicker
spikes then the puffer fish.
•The porcupine fish also only
has one plate of fused teeth
where as the puffer fish has
two rows.
Defense Mechanism
•The porcupine fish will puff up to
more than double its actual size
when it feels under threat. It does
this by swallowing water or air.
•When it puff the spines stick
straight out acting as another defense
mechanism against predators
•Some Porcupine fish are
poisonous. The toxin can cause
paralysis, numbness, paresis,
dizziness and headache. The toxin
is produced in the ovaries and liver.
What they eat and what eats them?
Porcupines Eat
•shell fish like urchin, snails
and crabs.
•occasionally jelly fish
Eat Porcupines
Adults
•sharks and orcas
Juveniles
•dolphin and tuna
Video
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51ckYv3asE4&featu
re=related