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