17 photos - 6 species
Introduction
There are around 20 species.
Hogfish can inflate in the event of an attack.
But unlike the puffer fish, hogfish still have many spines covering their bodies.
Therefore, only a few fish try to eat them, except for the tiger shark,
but it eats everything anyway.
Chilomycterus antillarum
Web burrfish, Spiny box puffer, Bridled burrfish or Striped burrfish
Maximum length: 30 cm
Depth: 1 - 25 m
The body and sides of the body have a light to dark brown net-like pattern
and three to four large spots.
The iris is golden yellow and the pupils have iridescent blue-green speckles.
Their spines are always rigidly erect.
Inhabit reefs and swim slowly near the bottom, well camouflaged.
When approached, they retreat into protective holes or crevices
and look out of the entrance, where they are easy to observe.
When harassed, they puff themselves up.
Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean
Cyclichthys orbicularis
Birdbeak burrfish
Maximum length: 15 cm
Depth: 2 - 20 m
Brownish to rusty brown in colour.
The body often has groups of dark spots.
Fixed spines.
During the day it rests in sheltered places, at night it searches the ground for crabs,
worms and molluscs.
This one saw us too late, perhaps it was dreaming :o) "inflated"
In this case, they swallow water and inflate themselves like balloons
so that various attackers cannot eat them as they are too big and get stuck in their throat.
One of the smallest members of the family, very large eyes.
Photos 1 + 3 - 4 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Photo 2 Astrid: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Cyclichthys spilostylus
Spotbase burrfish or Yellowspotted burrfish
Maximum length: 34 cm
Depth: 3 - 90 m
Not shy.
Have beak-like tooth plates that effortlessly cut through hard materials
such as mollusc shells and crab shells.
Photo 1 Johnny: El Quesir Egypt
Diodon holocanthus
Long-spine porcupinefish, Freckled porcupinefish, Porcupine puffer or Porcupine Pufferfish
Maximum length: 50 cm
Depth: 2 - 20 m
Head with long spines that stand up when the body is inflated.
Olive to brown body with small dark spots.
Their pupils have blue-green speckles.
Shy, withdraws into protective holes and crevices when approached,
inflates when harassed.
Photos 1 + 4 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean
Photos 2 - 3 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean
Diodon liturosus
Black-blotched porcupinefish, Shortspine porcupinefish,
Blotched porcupinefish or Brown-backed porcupinefish
Maximum length: 50 cm
Depth: 5 - 40 m
Movable spines.
Inactive during the day, forages at night.
Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi
Photo 3 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt
Diodon hystrix
Spot-fin porcupinefish, Spotted porcupinefish,
Black-spotted porcupinefish or Porcupinefish
Maximum length: 80 cm
Depth: 5 - 65 metres
It has long, flexible spines and its body and fins are covered with small black dots.
Often shy, hovering in the upper open water near the reef.
Searches for food at night.
Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: El Qesir Egypt
Photo 3 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean