| Family: |
Tetraodontidae (Puffers), subfamily: Tetraodontinae |
| Max. size: |
30 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 2 - 70 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA to Santa Catarina, Brazil (Ref. 57756). Replaced by Sphoeroides marmoratus in the eastern Atlantic (P. Wirtz, pers. comm. 10/04). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9. 11-14 sharply defined round black spots on head and lower side of body. The numerous tan lappers on the rear part of the body and distinct spots along the lower side make it unmistakable (Ref. 26938). |
| Biology: |
Abundant in all inshore habitats where there is adequate cover, such as seagrass beds and reef flats. Feeds on mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms (Ref. 36453), also on worms and zooplankton larvae (Ref. 131040). Generally common (Ref. 9710). Traded as an aquarium fish at Ceará, Brazil (Ref. 49392). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 June 2011 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
poisonous to eat |
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