Common toadfish explained

The common toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni), also known as the common toado, toadfish or toado, (formerly classified as Tetrodon hamiltoni^{[1] [2]} 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,^[3] as well as in New Zealand waters. It often buries itself in sand with only its eyes exposed.^[4]

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.^[5] It has a maximum length of .^[4] It is similar in appearance to the smooth toadfish, but has smaller spots and more prominent spines in the skin.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.^[7]

See also

• Aquarium fishery
• Smooth toadfish, Tetractenos glaber
• List of brackish aquarium fish species

Notes and References

1. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=282945 World Register of Marine Species - Tetractenos hamiltoni (Richardson, 1846)
2. 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. https://books.google.com/books?id=nLA4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1
3. Web site: Australian Faunal Directory: Tetractenos hamiltoni. . 2010-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121005030634/http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/Tetractenos_hamiltoni . 2012-10-05 . dead .
4. http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=55042 Fishbase – Tetractenos hamiltoni
5. http://australianmuseum.net.au/Common-Toadfish-Tetractenos-hamiltoni-Gray-Richardson-1843/ Australian Museum: Common Toadfish.
6. http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/206/13/2177 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).
7. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/177_11_021202/isb10423_fm.html Puffer fish poisoning: a potentially life-threatening condition