Dogfish belongs to the order of pufferfish or pufferfish, and there are more than ninety species of them. It differs from other fish in its unique ability to inflate when frightened, swallowing a large volume of water or air. Then she pricks with spikes, spewing out a nerve poison called tetrodotoxin, which is 1200 times more effective than potassium cyanide.
Dog-fish because of the special structure of the teeth was called pufferfish. Puffer teeth are very strong, fused together, and look like four plates. With their help, she splits the shells of mollusks and crab shells, getting food. A rare case is known when a still living fish, not wanting to be eaten, bit off the cook's finger.
Some species of fish can also bite, but the meat is the main danger.
In Japan, this exotic fish is called fugu, skillfully cooked, it tops the list of local delicacies. The price for one serving of such a dish reaches $750.
When an amateur chef starts preparing it, the tasting endsfatal, because the skin and internal organs of this fish contain the strongest poison. First, the tip of the tongue goes numb, then the limbs, followed by convulsions and instant death. When gutting a fish, a dog emits a fetid, eerie odor.
The most common types of fish dogs include:
- White-speckled, living in the tropical zone of the Pacific Ocean and the waters of Indonesia.
- Maki-maki, preferring to live in the tropical part of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
- Ringed, living in the tropical coastal waters of South and Central America, which are washed by the Pacific Ocean.
- Black-spotted, which is an inhabitant of the Indo-Pacific region from Polynesia to the coast of East Africa, as well as the Red Sea.
The red-footed or eyed fish-dog has a thick, elongated body, thick-lipped mouth, back, lower head and belly covered with small spikes. There is one fin on the back, ventral fins are absent, pectoral fins are wide and small, and the caudal fin is truncated. Under the eyes are small tentacles with organs of smell - nostrils. Like all pufferfish, the iridescent pupils are movable, cast in green or blue. The teeth are interconnected and form a continuous cutting plate.
The length of the dog fish can reach up to 50 cm. The whole body is basically the same color with many small spots and a large dark spot with a light border behind the pectoral fin, which form a pattern similar to the eye. The same spotlocated at the base of the dorsal fin. Because of these spots, the fish was given the name "ocular", and thanks to the reddish fins it is called red-legged.
Depending on the variety, the dog fish has a different color - from light sand to dark gray with spots all over the body, leopard or lilac with bright yellow stripes.
The dog fish is sedentary and moves with the help of the dorsal, pectoral and anal fins, which are located behind, and the caudal fin is usually used as a rudder. Special muscles allow her to swim not only forward, but also backward, which compensates for her low speed.
During mating courtship, the male and female circle at the bottom, then the female lays eggs on the stone, and the male, fertilizing them, covers the clutch with his body and remains to guard his offspring. After a few days, fry similar to tadpoles appear. The male carries them into a depression made in the ground, continuing to guard them until they themselves begin to feed.
At first, the offspring feed on small ciliates, and then the diet becomes more and more diverse. Most species of these fish are omnivores, although they prefer animal food, mainly invertebrates.
