Porcupine FishBy: Chantale Lacroix

Species

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ActinopterygiiOrder: TetraodontiformesFamily: 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 PorcupinesAdults•sharks and orcasJuveniles•dolphin and tuna

Videohttp://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=51ckYv3asE4&feature=related