33 photos - 16 species
Introduction
There are 25 genera with around 200 species.
The body shape of puffer fish differs greatly from the typical fish shape,
it has a rounded, compact shape, head and eyes are strongly developed.
The beak-like biting apparatus consists of teeth fused into ridges,
with two ridges at the top and two at the bottom.
Pufferfish can inflate themselves in case of danger
by a powerful musculature that jerks water from the oral cavity
into a ventral, sac-like expansion of the stomach.
This is intended to act as a deterrent to attackers.
The sizes vary depending on the species, e.g. the pea pufferfish grows
to 2 cm and the giant pufferfish can reach a length of 1.2 metres.
Arothron caeruleopunctatus
Blue-spotted pufferfish
Maximum length: 80 cm
Depth: 5 - 40 metres
Blue spots on body and fins.
Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Arothron diadematus
Masked pufferfish
Maximum length: 30 cm
Depth: 2 - 32 m
Dark eye mask, often solitary.
It is a slow swimmer that often rests on the bottom.
It can be seen in groups during spawning and reproduction.
Photo 1 Johnny: El Qesir Egypt
Photos 2 - 5 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt
Arothron hispidus
White-spotted pufferfish
Maximum length: 50 cm
Depth: 2 - 50 m
Likes to rest on coral, sand or rubble during the day.
Solitary, not very shy.
White-spotted puffer fish are grey to green-brown, the back,
flanks and caudal fin are patterned with white dots and covered with small spines.
The Red Sea population has smaller but more spots.
Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt
Photos 2 - 3 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt
Arothron manilensis
Narrow-lined pufferfish
Maximum length: 30 cm
Depth: 1 - 25 m
Beige to light brown colour and dark longitudinal stripes.
Found singly or in pairs on muddy sandy areas and slopes in lagoons,
bays, sheltered outer reefs and in seagrass.
Photos 1 - 2 Astrid: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Arothron mappa
Map pufferfish, Map puffer, Scribbled pufferfish or Kesho-fugu
Maximum length: 50 cm
Depth: 2 - 30 m
Shy loner.
Active at night, often resting in caves during the day.
Photo 1 Johnny: Embudu Maldives
Arothron nigropunctatus
Black-spotted pufferfish or Dog-faced puffer
Maximum length: 30 cm
Depth: 3 - 35 metres
The fish grow to a length of 33 centimetres and have a very variable colouring,
light and dark grey, brownish or yellow with a blue back or completely blue.
Some black spots are irregularly distributed over the body.
The black-spotted puffer fish feeds on coral polyps.
It also eats molluscs and crustaceans.
Photo 1 Johnny: Embudu Maldives
Arothron reticularis
Reticulated pufferfish, Reticulated blowfish
or Reticulated toadfish
Maximum length: 45 cm
Maximum depth: 1 - 30 m
All puffer fish have a tooth ridge at the top
and bottom of their mouth that grows back permanently
and is only permanently worn down by the right food.
Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Arothron stellatus
Stellate pufferfish, Starry puffer or Starry toadfish
Maximum length: 1.2 m
Depth: 5 - 60 metres
The giant pufferfish, also known as the star pufferfish,
is the largest pufferfish with a maximum length of one metre.
The giant pufferfish is relatively rare.
Young giant pufferfish mainly live on sandy bottoms.
Older animals prefer clear lagoons - fringes - and outer reefs.
Giant puffer fish feed mainly on echinoderms
and other hard-shelled invertebrates such as snails, mussels and crustaceans.
Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt
Photos 2 - 3 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt
Canthigaster bennetti
Bennett's sharpnose puffer
Maximum length: 10 cm
Depth: 1 - 15 m
Upper half of body greenish, lower half of body white.
Numerous pink and blue spots on the body.
Some blue vertical stripes on the snout.
Bright blue lines around the eyes.
Black ocellus at the base of the dorsal fin.
Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi
Canthigaster coronata
Crowned toby
Maximum length: 14 cm
Depth: 5 - 80 m
Cream-coloured body with 4 broad stripes on the back and blue dots.
Inhabits sheltered outer reefs and lagoons.
Photos 1 + 3 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt
Photo 2 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt
Canthigaster margaritata
Pearl toby
Maximum length: 12 cm
Depth: 1 - 30 m
Brown body with white-blue spots.
Found in lagoons, on reef tops and in outer reefs.
Found singly or in pairs.
Mimicked by the mimicry filefish (see filefish).
Photo 1 Johnny: El Qesir Egypt
Photo 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt
Canthigaster papua
Papuan toby
Maximum length: 9 cm
Depth: 3 - 40 m
Fine light blue to greenish spots all over the body.
Some thin stripes on the back.
Orange snout.
Travelling singly or in pairs.
Photo 1 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines
Photo 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Canthigaster rostrata
Caribbean sharp-nose puffer
Maximum length: 11 cm
Depth: 1 - 15 metres
Pointed snout, radiating blue lines from the eye.
The upper part of the body is dark olive-brown in colour, while the lower part is white.
The head and body are coloured with blue dots and lines.
It is found in seagrass meadows where it likes to nibble on seagrass tips, but also on reefs.
Does not disdain a variety of invertebrates.
Not shy, allows slow approach.
Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean
Canthigaster valentini
Valentin's sharpnose puffer, Saddled puffer or Black saddled toby
Maximum length: 10 cm
Depth: 1 - 20 m
Often found in pairs in shallow inner and outer reefs.
Eats algae and small invertebrates.
Male ( see photo ) with blue radial stripe around the eye.
Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Sphoeroides spengleri
Bandtail puffer
Maximum length: 30 cm
Depth: 1 - 12 metres
Their caudal fin has two dark bands and a row of dark spots
runs from the mouth to the caudal fin.
Their colouring can fade or darken to blend in with the background,
their mouth and head are dull.
Not shy, slow and careful approach is possible.
Photo 1 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean
Photo 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean
Torquigener pleurogramma
Weeping toadfish or Blowie
Maximum length: 38 cm
Depth: 1 - 30 metres
This puffer fish lives in sheltered areas such as lagoons,
near-shore areas and in river mouths.
The fish often lives in schools on sandy or muddy bottoms.
Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi