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Family Tetraodontidae
Pufferfishes
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Members of both families lack scales and pelvic fins.
They inflate themselves with water to become more difficult for predators to
swallow or wedge themselves into the reef. The caudal fin is reserved for
short dashes while the other fins provide primary locomotion. Puffers have
short velcro-like spines and a pair of fused teeth in each jaw. Porcupinefishes have stout spines or burrs and each jaw consists of a single
cutting edge. They are carnivorous and eat anything available but
shellfish are preferred.
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Mouth showing four teeth |
HAWAII
Arothron hispidus
Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 40 feet
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Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 40 feet |
Night, Nanahoa, Lana'i, 40 feet
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Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 40 feet |
Moku O Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 3 feet
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Ft. Kamehameha, Oahu, 3 feet |
Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu |
Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu
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Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu |
Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu
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STRIPEBELLY
PUFFER 'O'OPU HUE
| Common over sandy and rocky bottoms at any depth. Attains 19 inches.
Hawaii, the Indo-Pacific and tropical Eastern
Pacific. |
Arothron meleagris
Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii, 4 feet
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Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 15 feet |
Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico
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Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico |
Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet
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Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet |
Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet |
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SPOTTED PUFFER
| Occasional among live corals which it feeds upon. Attains 14 inches.
Rare individuals are yellow without spots. Hawaii, the Indo-Pacific, and tropical Eastern
Pacific. |
Canthigaster amboinensis
Three Tables, Oahu, 25 feet
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Waikiki Aquarium |
Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu
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Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu |
Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu |
Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu |
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AMBON PUFFER
| Fairly common in shallow rocky areas. Attains 5 inches.
Hawaii, the Indo-Pacific, and the Galapagos. |
Canthigaster coronata
Juvenile, Blowhole, Oahu, 30 feet
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Koloa Landing, Kauai, 25 feet |
Waimea Bay, Oahu, 25 feet
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Waimea Bay, Oahu, 25 feet |
Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 95 feet
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Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 95 feet |
Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 95 feet
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Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet |
Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet
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Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet |
Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet |
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CROWN PUFFER
| Locally common among rubble reefs at scuba depths. Attains 5 inches.
Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific. |
Canthigaster epilampra
YO-257 Wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 80 feet
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Puako, Hawaii |
Puako, Hawaii
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Night colors, Lahilahi Point, Oahu |
Sand Island Pipe, Oahu, 75 feet |
Sand Island Pipe, Oahu, 75 feet
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Sand Island Pipe, Oahu, 75 feet |
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LANTERN PUFFER
| Uncommon in deep water. Attains 5 inches. Hawaii, Central
& Western Pacific. |
Canthigaster jactator
Puako, Hawaii, 20 feet
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Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 30 feet |
Night, Cargo pier, Midway Atoll, 20 feet
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Night, Nanahoa, Lana'i, 40 feet |
Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 50 feet
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Juvenile, Kahe Point, Oahu, 35 feet |
Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet
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Kewalo, Oahu, 30 feet |
Night, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 25 feet
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HAWAIIAN SPOTTED PUFFER
| Common at any depth. Attains 3.5 inches. Endemic to Hawaii.
Very similar to C. janthinoptera & C. punctatissima. |
Canthigaster rivulata
Night colors, Yawatano, Japan, 30 feet |
Angel Ledge, Midway, 100 feet |
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MAZE PUFFER
| Rare in deep water but common in Japan. Attains 8 inches.
Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Torquigener florealis
Three Tables, Oahu, 5 feet |
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FLORAL PUFFER
| Rare over sandy bottoms. May become abundant some years.
Attains 7 inches.
Hawaii, Japan, and China. |
Torquigener randalli
Haleiwa, Oahu, 60 feet |
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RANDALL'S PUFFER
| Rare over muddy sand in deep water. Attains 5 inches. Endemic to Hawaii. |
INDO-PACIFIC
Arothron nigropunctatus
Wakatobi, Indonesia |
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BLACK-SPOTTED PUFFER
Arothron mappa
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 10 feet |
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MAP PUFFER
Canthigaster valentini
Wakatobi, Indonesia |
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MODEL PUFFER
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Common on coral reef of the Indo-Pacific except
Hawaii. Attains 4.5 inches. The Mimic Filefish Paraluteres
prionurus is a non-poisonous look-alike. |
JAPAN 
Takifugu poecilonotus
Shinagawa Aquarium, Tokyo, Japan |
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| Inhabits rocky reefs. Attains 8 inches. Japan, Korea &
Taiwan. |
TROPICAL EASTERN
PACIFIC 
Canthigaster punctatissima
Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico |
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SPOTTED SHAPNOSE PUFFER
| Common on rocky reefs from the Central Gulf of California to Ecuador
& offshore islands. Attains 4 inches. |
Sphoeroides lobatus
Chileno Beach, Baja California, Mexico, 15 feet |
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LOBESKIN PUFFER
| Inhabits sand & rubble areas. Attains 12 inches.
Southern California to Chile. |
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