WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Black-blotched Porcupinefish

Diodon liturosus

Also known as: Balloonfish, Blotched Porcupinefish, Globefish, Hedgehogfish, Long-spined Porcupinefish, Masked Porcupinefish, Shortspine Porcupine, Shortspine Porcupinefish, Swelltoad, Toadfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2024
Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · May 20081 / 16
01

Overview

Found singly, hiding during the day in caves, under ledges, and in coral plates, along reef edges and slopes.
They feed nocturnally on crustaceans and molluscs.
Widespread South East Atlantic, Indo-Pacific

Porcupinefish spines lay flat, but when threatened they can inflate like a "football with spikes" so the spines are facing outwards to deter prey. The have a plated mouth structure for crushing shells or "fingers".
Can give a nasty bite!

02

How to identify

Body shape
spines
Fins & Tail
yellow fins

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific, Southeast Atlantic
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 15
LIVES IN

Found singly, hiding during the day in caves, under ledges, and in coral plates, along reef edges and slopes.

04

Adult photos 16

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderTetraodontiformes
    5. familyDiodontidae
    6. genusDiodon
    7. speciesDiodon liturosus Shaw, 1804

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Porcupinefishes-Burrfishes (Diodontidae)