Smooth toadfish
Encyclopedia
The smooth toadfish or smooth toado (Tetractenos glaber, formerly classified as Tetrodon glaber or Torquigener glaber) is a species of fish in the Tetraodontidae family of order Tetraodontiformes
, found along Australia
's eastern and southeast coast, from northern Queensland
to South Australia
and Tasmania
. It is one of the most abundant fishes in the muddy areas of Port Philip Bay.
The diet of the smooth toadfish includes molluscs and small crabs, and it often follows the tide into estuaries in search of food. The fish has a maximum length of 15 cm. As with other fish of this family, the flesh is poisonous, due to tetrodotoxin
, and eating the fish can have fatal consequences.
Because it is a common estuarine fish, it has been used in studies of heavy metal contamination in coastal waters.
Along with related toadfish species, the smooth toadfish is known in Australia as a "toadie."
Tetraodontiformes
The Tetraodontiformes are an order of highly derived ray-finned fish, also called the Plectognathi. Sometimes these are classified as a suborder of the Perciformes...
, found along Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's eastern and southeast coast, from northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. It is one of the most abundant fishes in the muddy areas of Port Philip Bay.
The diet of the smooth toadfish includes molluscs and small crabs, and it often follows the tide into estuaries in search of food. The fish has a maximum length of 15 cm. As with other fish of this family, the flesh is poisonous, due to tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin, also known as "tetrodox" and frequently abbreviated as TTX, sometimes colloquially referred to as "zombie powder" by those who practice Vodou, is a potent neurotoxin with no known antidote. There have been successful tests of a possible antidote in mice, but further tests must be...
, and eating the fish can have fatal consequences.
Because it is a common estuarine fish, it has been used in studies of heavy metal contamination in coastal waters.
Along with related toadfish species, the smooth toadfish is known in Australia as a "toadie."