Relatively few early life history characters apply to Tetraodontiformes as a whole, fewer still could be considered derived. Only characters which might be considered derived are late formation of caudal fin and various early-forming scale specializations (Leis, 1984).
Families treated:
Family Balistidae (triggerfishes)
Family Diodontidae (porcupinefishes and burrfishes)
Family Molidae (molas or ocean sunfishes)
Family Monacanthidae (filefishes)
Family Ostraciidae (boxfishes)
Family Tetraodontidae (puffers)
Table Tetraodontiformes
22 geographic zones