Tyler's toby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tyler's toby |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Tetraodontidae |
| Genus: | Canthigaster |
| Species: |
C. tyleri
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| Binomial name | |
| Canthigaster tyleri (G. R. Allen & J. E. Randall, 1977 )
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The Canthigaster tyleri, also known as Tyler's toby, is a special kind of fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to the family of fish called Tetraodontidae, which includes pufferfish. These fish are known for their unique shapes and interesting features!
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What Does Tyler's Toby Look Like?
The Tyler's toby is a small fish. It usually grows to about 9 centimeters long. Its body is round, like a globe, but also a little bit flat on the sides. It has a long nose, called a snout, and a small mouth at the very end of it.
This fish has a whitish color on its body. Its sides are covered with bright red spots. The top of its back can be yellow or green. You can see a cool pattern of blue lines running from its tail fin all the way to the tip of its snout. The blue lines on top of its snout are straight and run side-by-side. Around its eye, there's a white circle that isn't quite closed at the top. Its belly is white, and its fins are clear, so you can see through them!
Where Did Tyler's Toby Get Its Name?
This fish is named after a scientist named James C. Tyler. He was born in 1935 and studied fish, especially those in the pufferfish group. He was the one who sent the first example of this fish from the Comoro Islands in the Indian Ocean to the scientists who officially described it.
Where Does Tyler's Toby Live?
Tyler's toby lives in a specific part of the Indian Ocean. You can find it around the islands from western Indonesia all the way to Tanzania.
This fish loves to live in coral reefs and calm areas called lagoons. It's a bit shy and likes to hide! It often finds safe spots in holes and cracks in the rocks. You can find Tyler's toby swimming in waters up to 40 meters deep.
What Does Tyler's Toby Eat and How Does It Protect Itself?
The Tyler's toby eats different kinds of algae, sponges, and other tiny creatures without backbones, called invertebrates.
Like many fish in the pufferfish family, Canthigasters have a special way to protect themselves: they can be toxic! Their bodies can create a strong natural chemical called tetrodotoxin from the food they eat. They store this toxin in their skin and some of their inside parts, like their liver and reproductive organs. This toxin is very powerful and can be dangerous if another animal tries to eat them. It's a natural defense mechanism to keep predators away.
 | Calvin Brent |
 | Walter T. Bailey |
 | Martha Cassell Thompson |
 | Alberta Jeannette Cassell |
