Fish-urchin has long been known to people.This prickly inhabitant of the tropics and the southern regions of the temperate latitudes has always attracted the attention of Europeans.No, not for its gastronomic benefits, because fish hedgehog terribly poisonous.She drew the attention of unusual appearance and the ability to swell in case of danger and rastopyrivat needles that are in the quiescent state close to the body.
family fish-urchin has eight species.The largest representatives reach a length of sixty centimeters.Fish-hedgehog has a special air bag.When she is not experiencing stress, it is located in a quiet, deflated state.When the fish-urchin forced to defend itself, it fills a bag with water and swells, taking the form of the world and increasing in size several times.Pressed to the sides of the needle stand on end and stick out in all directions, preventing any attempt to swallow its predator.In some species, the length of the needle reaches twenty centimeters.Because of these features fish hedgehog has two "unofficial" name: Maritime and porcupine fish bowl.
But this little fish hedgehog has another way to scare off newcomers, showing her interest in cooking: it releases poisonous mucus, which is very well repel the aggressors.The latter circumstance greatly complicates the maintenance of fish-urchins in aquariums or pools.At the slightest sign of attacks by the other inhabitants of the aquarium, the fish produces mucus, and then you have to change all the water.In this connection fish in captivity hedgehog usually contained in a separate tank.It prefers sandy soil, often buries itself in the sand completely.Conducted primarily nocturnal, by day hiding in secluded places.
Under natural conditions the fish-urchin feeds mainly on shellfish.Solid dental plates allow to crack even the most dense shell.And eats small fish.In captivity, the fish-urchin can do without clams.
If European and American gourmets rejected fish-urchin, the harsh Japanese samurai found that it is quite good to eat a real warrior.Some species of Tetraodontiformes preparing the famous Japanese delicacy - a fugue.It is fair to clarify that the fugue is made from representatives of several species of pufferfish, and the main place is given to the brown puffer.But the fish-urchin is one of those kinds of fish, of which it is preparing to treat.
internal organs of the fish contain a deadly poison tetrodotoxin.It is ten times stronger than curare, four hundred times stronger than strychnine.A lethal dose can be obtained just by touching the insides of the fish with his bare hand.Tetrodotoxin has the nerve.When ingested, it causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles, a person dies of suffocation.Antidote tetrodotoxin is not created.
area of ​​distribution of fish-urchins - surrounding the Earth warm tropical region.Especially a lot of them in the Red Sea.She and other fish of the Red Sea (such as its close relative - sea cucumber) are the hallmark of this water body.They are all interesting in their own way.
But in other areas of the Earth, dominated by tropical climate, widespread fish hedgehog.Photos of these interesting creatures never cease to amaze fans of exotic: how inventive nature in adaptation to the environment and protection from predators!
