Common toadfish
The common toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni), also known as the common toado, toadfish or toado, (formerly classified as Tetrodon hamiltoni or Torquigener hamiltoni) is a species of fish in the family Tetraodontidae of order Tetraodontiformes, found along Australia's eastern coast, from northern Queensland to Flinders Island, and around Lord Howe Island, as well as in New Zealand waters. It often buries itself in sand with only its eyes exposed. The fish is sandy to whitish in colour, with small brown spots over most of the back and upper sides, and brown bars and blotches beneath. It has a maximum length of 14 centimetres (5.5 in). It is similar in appearance to the smooth toadfish, but has smaller spots and more prominent spines in the skin. Like some other fish, the common toadfish is able to vary the amount of pigment in its cornea, which becomes yellow in colour under bright light. It is (rarely) used as an aquarium fish for brackish-water aquariums. Along with related toadfish species, it is known in Australia as a "toadie." As with other fish of this family, the flesh is poisonous, due to tetrodotoxin, and eating the fish can have fatal consequences.
| Common toadfish | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Tetraodontidae |
| Genus: | Tetractenos |
| Species: | T. hamiltoni
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| Binomial name | |
| Tetractenos hamiltoni (J. Richardson, 1846)
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The common toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni), also known as the common toado, toadfish or toado,[2] (formerly classified as Tetrodon hamiltoni[3][4] or Torquigener hamiltoni) is a species of fish in the family Tetraodontidae of order Tetraodontiformes, found along Australia's eastern coast, from northern Queensland to Flinders Island, and around Lord Howe Island,[2] as well as in New Zealand waters. It often buries itself in sand with only its eyes exposed.[5]
The fish is sandy to whitish in colour, with small brown spots over most of the back and upper sides, and brown bars and blotches beneath.[6] It has a maximum length of 14 centimetres (5.5 in).[5] It is similar in appearance to the smooth toadfish, but has smaller spots and more prominent spines in the skin.[6]
Like some other fish, the common toadfish is able to vary the amount of pigment in its cornea, which becomes yellow in colour under bright light.[7]
It is (rarely) used as an aquarium fish for brackish-water aquariums. Along with related toadfish species, it is known in Australia as a "toadie."[citation needed]
As with other fish of this family, the flesh is poisonous, due to tetrodotoxin, and eating the fish can have fatal consequences.[8]
See also
[edit]- Aquarium fishery
- Smooth toadfish, Tetractenos glaber
- List of brackish aquarium fish species
References
[edit]- ^ Shao, K.; Liu, M.; Hardy, G.; Jing, L.; Leis, J.L.; Matsuura, K. (2014). "Tetractenos hamiltoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014 e.T193784A2276476. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T193784A2276476.en. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Australian Faunal Directory: Tetractenos hamiltoni". Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ World Register of Marine Species - Tetractenos hamiltoni (Richardson, 1846), accessed 8 March 2010.
- ^ G.S. Hardy, "Revision of Australian species of Torquigener Whitley (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae), and two new generic names for Australian puffer fishes," Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 13, No. 1/2, 1983, pp. 1–48. [1]
- ^ a b Fishbase – Tetractenos hamiltoni, accessed 8 March 2010 (find mirrors).
- ^ a b Australian Museum: Common Toadfish.
- ^ Ulrike E. Siebeck, Shaun P. Collin, Majid Ghoddusi, and N. Justin Marshall, "Occlusable corneas in toadfishes: light transmission, movement and ultrastruture of pigment during light- and dark-adaptation," Journal of Experimental Biology, Volume 206, 2177–2190 (2003).
- ^ Puffer fish poisoning: a potentially life-threatening condition, accessed 8 March 2010.
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