Genus: Chilomycterus, Burrfishes
spines: immovable, short
snout to D: ~ 8-10 spines
top of tail base: 1-2 spines
adult nasal organ: open cup with 2 holes
CHILOMYCTERUS
BURRFISHES
Body rotund, can be inflated; head wide and blunt; eyes large; nasal organ an open pitted cup or a tentacle with 2 openings; 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; fins without spines; no pelvic fins; body and head covered with a few short (< eye), fixed, 3-4 rooted spines that are triangular and flattened in cross-section, and, in some cases reduced to plates under skin; tail fin with 9-10 rays.
This circumtropical genus contains 7 species; one circumtropical species in our area.
