caught one of these 4/7/14 in Estero Bay (SW Florida). 11 inches long.
Web Burrfish
Chilomycterus antillarum
Also known as: Balloonfish, Blowfish, Bridled Burrfish, Burrfish, Globefish, Hedgehog Fish, Pacific Burrfish, Spiny Box Puffer, Spiny Boxfish, Striped Burrfish, Swelltoad, Webbed Burrfish
- Balloonfish
- Blowfish
- Bridled Burrfish
- Burrfish
- Globefish
- Hedgehog Fish
- Pacific Burrfish
- Spiny Box Puffer
- Spiny Boxfish
- Striped Burrfish
- Swelltoad
- Webbed Burrfish
Overview
Also called Balloonfish, Blowfish, Bridled Burrfish, Burrfish, Globefish, Hedgehog Fish, Pacific Burrfish, Spiny Box Puffer, Spiny Boxfish, Striped Burrfish, Swelltoad, Webbed Burrfish.
Found singly, over rubble and seagrass beds, of coral reefs. Spines always erect.
They feed nocturnally on hard shell invertebrates.
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!
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
- Country only · 10
Found singly, over rubble and seagrass beds, of coral reefs.
Adult photos 10
Discussion 1
1 comment
- Lan Rice· 9 Apr 2014
Deep dive
More in the family
Porcupinefishes-Burrfishes (Diodontidae)

Balloonfish
Diodon holocanthus
18 photos

Birdbeak Burrfish
Cyclichthys orbicularis
19 photos

Black-blotched Porcupinefish
Diodon liturosus
16 photos

Black-lip Porcupinefish
Lophodiodon calori
3 photos

Bridled Burrfish
Chilomycterus antennatus
1 photo

Pelagic Porcupinefish
Diodon eydouxii
1 photo

Spot-fin Porcupinefish
Diodon hystrix
39 photos

Spotted Burrfish
Chilomycterus reticulatus
4 photos

Striped Burrfish
Chilomycterus schoepfii
4 photos

Three-bar Porcupinefish
Dicotylichthys punctulatus
1 photo

Yellow-spotted Burrfish
Cyclichthys spilostylis
2 photos