Retractable teeth?

[Boxermom]

Do puffers have retractable teeth? Or not retractable exactly, but foldable? Or tongues? I've noticed with my fahaka, he appears to have two flaps that sorta look like teeth or a tongue (but there's a line in the center, like a seam) on the bottom of his mouth. No otherwise apparent teeth on the bottom though, at least not apparently upon cursory view. But I know his teeth work, he's definitely able to crunch up snail shells like there's no tomorrow.

[Nick]

I think the teeth do pull back very far, they definately come way out of Shakespeare's mouth when he's "in the zone" working on a large snail. I think the thing you're seeing on the bottom of the mouth is something like an unflapped tounge, used for swallowing. I've seen in on Kiwi when he was panting.

[manutius]

Thats quite interesting that, I have often seen Clooney retracting or what seems to be re-setting his jaw by pulling the whole set inwards. Not too sure about the tongue thing though. I'm gonna have a look tomorrow though

[Boxermom]

Anyone have any further thoughts about this? I honestly don't think Linus has bottom teeth but has sort of a flexible plate on the bottom that has a seam, sort of like if his teeth were folded in. When he eats, he seems to crush the shells against the plate to break them. Doesn't seem to bite them like the other puffers do.

[messy_da_legend]

When I go up to Esau's(baileyi) tank for feeding time he comes out and bites the glass. he opens his mouth and then the teeth seem to come out almost like a cats claw, and seem far to big to be in that position the whole time.
So I'd guess they do retract to some extent

[Corvus]

Their name (Tetraodon) comes from having four teeth: 2 in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw.On most of our puffers the ones in the upper jaw are just more prominent.

Have a look at this Arothron e.g.:
http://fins.actwin.com/pics/Arothron_ni ... tatus3.jpg

[Corvus]

Another one is

http://www.palais-portedoree.org/images ... _1_032.jpg

On Arothron all four teeth are observed most easily. If you happen to watch a larger Carinotetraodon such as irrubesco, lorteti etc. you'll see their teeth in the lower jaw often, too.

[Boxermom]

Yes, I'm aware of what tetraodon means. And I know what their beaks normally look like. What I'm saying is that Linus' beak does not look like that. He does not have a bottom beak like most other puffers I've seen, and I'm wondering if that is normal. His appear to lay against the bottom of his mouth, like a tongue or a plate, rather than teeth sticking up.

[OraLacerta]

Strange. It is possible he may have a deformity, but he seems like he manages just fine. Is there anyway you could photograph it? I know, quite the task, but it may help us figure this out.

[Boxermom]

You can sorta see it in these photos. Its pointed up in the middle, like its folded in half or something. It moves up and down slightly as he breathes, but mostly lays flat against his lower jaw. I'm not all that worried about it as it does seem he's doing quite well and growing like a weed. Mostly just curious to know if its normal for fahakas.

[OraLacerta]

Hmm, I see what you are talking about, but it's obvious after looking at the pictures we'd have to actually see the fish moving to really discern what that is. Whether his teeth are deformed or not it's just too hard to tell.

I know my puffs have sort of a 'tongue' that moves up and down as they breathe, but it doesn't look split in two like that.

[RTR]

I do not believe that puffer's dental plates (fused teeth) are at all moveable in their bony jaws (as some snakes can do in swallowing prey or to errect and lock fangs). But their lips and cheeks certainly are. Most bony fish have heads of fixed contours with allowance for whatever degree of jaw mobility their species uses. In part due to their lack of rigidity (inclding the lack of a firm operculum), muscles do more work where others have firmer structures. The flap descibed is part of breathing, blocking water from moving forward out of their mouth and forcing it to flow back and out through the gills as the buccal cavity is compressed.

I don't have a fahaka now, but watch when the fish begs or pushes against the glass - that may well expose the lower dental plates. I do remember them "grimacing" (my label) and pulling the lips back to expose both upper and lower plates as part of eating, commonly with the mouth closed and just before opening the mouth and spitting out forward bits of shell, from their pharyngeal grinding of food, etc.

[Boxermom]

The flap descibed is part of breathing, blocking water from moving forward out of their mouth and forcing it to flow back and out through the gills as the buccal cavity is compressed.

Ahh, sorta like the dingleberry that hangs in the back of our throat, eh? That makes sense, thanks!

I don't have a fahaka now, but watch when the fish begs or pushes against the glass - that may well expose the lower dental plates. I do remember them "grimacing" (my label) and pulling the lips back to expose both upper and lower plates as part of eating, commonly with the mouth closed and just before opening the mouth and spitting out forward bits of shell, from their pharyngeal grinding of food, etc.

He hasn't pushed against the glass like many of my others have. The one time he did was when I had my head up against the glass and he was trying to eat my hair. I'll have to see if I can get him to do it in a position where I can see him though, I couldn't see him doing it before.

[Hilly]

Both my Abei and Sabahensis have this flap visibly moving up and down when they breath, their mouths are usually partially open so I see it all the time. It's harder to see on some smaller species though the way the Carintetraodons mouths are shaped you'd probably never see it.

[RTR]

I hope that your hair does not look like blackworms... Is our Boxermom in fact a Medusa?

That is scary!