Family: DIODONTIDAE, Porcupinefishes, Burrfishes, Balloanfishes

FAMILY DIODONTIDAE

PORCUPINEFISHES, BURRFISHES, BALLOANFISHES

Porcupinefishes are small to medium sized (up to 1 m, many 20-50 cm) fishes; body wide, inflatable; head wide and blunt; nasal organ usually in small tentacles before eyes; teeth fused into a strong, parrot-like beak with two plates that lack a front groove, large, opens widely at front; gill opening a vertical slit before pectoral base; pectorals large; no pelvic fins; fins without spines; body covered with thick, often long, spines, which are either short, immovable and with 3 roots, or longer, erectable and with 2 roots.

Procupinefishes are mainly nocturnal, and retreat to caves or beneath ledges during the day. Their strong tooth plates and powerful jaws are well adapted for crushing urchins, molluscs, and crabs.