B+manglae

=Batrachoides manglae (Cotuero Toadfish)=

Animal Classification:
Genus - Batrachoides Species - manglae Class - Actinopterygii Order - Batrachoidiformes Family - Batrachoididae



Endangered Species Act:
The Cortuero toadfish was officially classified as "vulnerable" in the list of endangered species in 1996.

__**Description of Habita****t**__: Resides in the bottom of shallow muddy water. Tend to be "abundant in mangrove-lind lagoon."

__**Location of Ecosystem**__: Atlantic Ocean - western central (Latitude 3.86, Longitude -87.84) __,__
Pacific Ocean- Eastern central (Latitude 13.24 Longitude -63.98).

__**Ocean Temperature**__: 28-30 degrees (Atlantic Ocean), 28-26 degrees (Pacific Ocean) __**Salinity :**__ 33.5-34.5 (Atlantic Ocean), 34-35 (Pacific Ocean)

__**Geologic Processes**__: Columbia is one of the countries that make up the border of the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire consists of volcanoes on the outer coasts of several countries, which when looked at from above, looks like a "ring:" The Cortuero toadfish is native to the Pacific waters around Columbia and therefore is exposed to many active volcanoes in the coast of Columbia. Such as: Nevado del Ruiz, Tolima, Purace, and Galeras.
 * Tides: Cortuero toadfish are native to the Caribbean waters as well. There tides are mixed and can get up to 60 cm.
 * Currents: The North Equitorial Current and theCarribean Current both run through Cortuero Toadfish locations.

Migrational Pattern:
Little or no migration

Unknown. But there are 9 different species found within the Batrachoides. The Cortuero Toadfish continues to be labeled as "Vulnerable D2"
signifying that there are less than 50 mature individuals of the kind.

Survival Trends:
No updates were made to the population of Cortuero Toadfish since 1996. It is assumed the toadfish had neither increased nor decreased.

Appearance:
- Broad flat head - Round Nose - Large mouth - Spiny dorsal fins - Grows from 12 to 15 inches - Scaleless - Ranges from dark muddy olive green to brown/yellow being darker on the back/sides and paler on the belly - Weighs on average 350 grams

Reproduction:
Male Toadfishes first build their nest, usually under a rock or shell. By contracting muscles in their swim bladder, male Toadfishes can produce a sound or "sing" (which sounds like a hum or whistle) to court females. The females then lay their eggs, which have a sticky side so that they can stick to the nest, and finally the male will fertilize it by releasing its' sperm. The male starts "fanning" the egg, whereby the male uses its' fin to "fan" the eggs in order to provide it with oxygen. The eggs approximately hatch within a month. The most unique feature of the Toadfish is its' swimbladder. Not only is its' swim bladder used to control bouyancy, (by which it is filled with gas and is regulated in order to control the located depth of the fish), but it is also used to produce sound, an abilty that many but not all fish have. **Movements The Cortuero Toadfish's shape enables it to swim in a subcarangiform mode. This means the fish swims by moving up and down. **  <- Click to see the Tunica Externa (outside layer)
 * Animal Anatomy:**
 * The swim bladder of a toadfish contains three layers. 1) Tunica Externa, 2) Submucosa, 3) Mucosa.
 * The Tunica Externa is a tough connective tissue capsule made of striated muscle mass.
 * Striated muscle - Muscles used to create movement by applying __**intended**__ force to bones and joints due contraction.
 * Opposite of smooth muscle, in which muscles are contracted without conscious control.
 * It is the Tunica Externa layer that is responsible for the sound producing swim bladder.
 * Swim bladder is located in body cavity.

Food Chain:

 * Cortueo Toadfish mainly feeds on small gastropod mollusks and crustaceans.
 * Hunting macrofauna - (animals larger than .5 m of size) prey on toadfish as well as humans, who catch toadfish for food and commercial.

Economic Importance:

 * Toad fish is normally not commercially sold, but few fishermen out there do catch toadfish in order to meet survival needs.
 * Used for fishmean and oils.
 * Some smaller Toad fish have been transported to aquariums. (The attraction of the "ugly fish")
 * Has an important role for medical research
 * Has been used by NASA and Marine Biological Labs in Woods Hole. They were sent to space for space research.
 * Most likely to see how well they regulate their swim bladder.

Interesting Fact ::: Scientific Advancement Made!
Scientists have found the origins of vocal sounds from 400 million years ago as well as the origin of how humans developed the ability to talk by studying Toadfish!!!

Threats/Reasons for Endangerment:
The Cortuero Taodfish does not pose a high risk of extinction. However, thier numbers how potential to decrease. Some factors may include:
 * Catching Toadfish for commercial reasons. Fishermen in Venezuela and French Guiana sell Toadfish for fairly high prices.
 * Some Toadfish are used for aquarium trade, sold to aquariums.
 * Captured for medical research.
 * Activity level of Toadfish is considered "sluggish" when compared to other fish. This leaves it __vulnerable__ to attack from predators.

Species Protection:
Because extinction is not a high threat for the Toadfish, no action has been taken (or has been released to the media) to protect or preserve them.

Self Made Solutions:
Since the activity level of the Toadfish cannot be changed by human interference, we can help decrease the Cortuero Toadfish Endangerment level by:
 * Limiting our captured fish for research and experiment
 * Prohibiting fishermen from entering Cortuero fish territory and habitat.
 * Prohibiting any use of sonar within Cortuero Toadfish mating grounds. (Sonar waves may affect the mating call of the male toadfish.)
 * Restricting sellers from trading Toadfish
 * Placing fines on any broken laws that intend to protect the Cortuero Toadfish.

**Interesting Fact ::: Scientific Advancement Made!**
Scientists have found the origins of vocal sounds from 400 million years ago as well as the origin of how humans developed the ability to talk by studying Toadfish!!!

Male Toad fish produces a "hum" or "whistle" to attract female toadfish and produces a "grunting" noise in order to protect its nest. =How Well do you know the Cortuero Toadfish?=

Questions:

 * 1) What organ does the male Toadfish use to create a "hum" or whistle in order to attract females?
 * 2) In what kind of areas do Cortuero Toadfish reside in?
 * 3) How long do Cortuero Toadfish eggs usually hatch?

=Sources= [|cation/specieslist.cfm%3Ffamcode%3D189%26areacode%3D&usg=__ig6wyerSPX82Rcu8WDnpqffz0GM=&h=158&w=211&sz=6&hl=en&start=1&sig2=hhRUdUwEzp9rTYAbTRX6tw&tbnid=Kyy72mRT2Z4sOM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=106&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCotuero%2Btoadfish%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive&ei=I1opSqyqCY-nmQfV4angCg]
 * []
 *  [|http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/images/thumbnails/gif/tn_Baman_u0.gif&imgrefurl=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/identifi]
 *  []
 * __[]__
 * __[|http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=968]__
 * __[|http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire.png7) [[http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/ocean-current.jpg|http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/ocean-current.jpg]]__
 * __[]__
 * __[|http://animals.jrank.org/pages/2090/Toadfishes-Batrachoidiformes-BEHAVIOR-REPRODUCTION.html__]__
 * __[|[[http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/115/2/172.pdf|http://www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/115/2/172.pdf11) [[http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Ecology/FishEcologySummary.php?StockCode=984&GenusName=Batrachoides&SpeciesName=manglae]__
 * __[]__
 * __[|[[http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/B/Batrachoides_manglae/|http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/B/Batrachoides_manglae/]__
 * __]][]__
 * __[|[[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1036195/Toadfish-reveals-animals-voice-400-million-years-ago.html] ]]__