Talk:Tetraodontiformes

True or false: this term comes from Greek tetra- meaning 4. 66.245.94.89 01:03, 7 Aug 2004 (UTC)


 * Yes, but the entire word would mean "four toothed shapes", the odous being Greek for "tooth" and forma being Latin for "shape". This is an allusion to the structure of the puffers' beak-like jaws, which are actually modified jawbones and not teeth. There are visible sutures which divide the beaks into "teeth", and counting these is a way of distinguishing the families. For example the porcupinefish (Diodontidae, "two-toothed") and three-toothed puffers (Triodontidae). I think I'll add that to the article. -- Hadal 02:39, 7 Aug 2004 (UTC)


 * I did a major rewriting and expansion of the article the other day. I hope it's more illuminating, now. -- Hadal 04:26, 9 Aug 2004 (UTC)