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How do porcupine fishes and burrfishes differ in the way their spines are positioned?
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tetraodontiform
Scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus)
Within the family Diodontidae, the primary difference between porcupine fishes and burrfishes lies in the mobility of their spines.1
- Porcupine fishes (genus Diodon): These fishes possess spines that typically lie flat against the body, becoming erect only when the fish inflates itself as a defense mechanism.21
- Burrfishes (genus Chilomycterus): These fishes have spines that are short and remain permanently fixed in an erect position.21