Family Tetraodontidae, Puffers

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Updated 8/18/2023

Family Diodontidae

Porcupinefishes

Porcupinefishes or Burrfishes are large puffers with stout spines that have roots embedded under the skin. Upper & lower jaws consist of solid bone forming a continuous semicircular cutting edge capable of removing one's finger. They have large eyes and feed nocturnally on hard-shelled invertebrates. Porcupinefishes swallow water to inflate themselves when attacked making it nearly impossible for large predators to swallow. Sharks or jacks have been seen with inflated porcupinefish lodged in their throat. Below are photos of decomposed skin collected by an elementary school student in Thailand.

CIRCUMTROPICAL

Chilomycterus reticulatus

SPOTTED BURRFISH

Diodon hystrix

SPOTTED PORCUPINEFISH

Diodon holocanthus

SPINY PORCUPINEFISH

INDO-PACIFIC

Diodon liturosus

BLACK-BLOTCHED PORCUPINEFISH

Family Tetraodontidae

Puffers

Puffers have loose skin lacking scales and pelvic fins and knife-edged jaws composed of left and right plates above and below. They feed upon a variety of invertebrates and inflate themselves with water to become more difficult for predators to swallow or wedge themselves into a crevice. Spines are reduced to tiny prickles but all parts of the fish contain deadly tetrodotoxin. Primary locomotion is produced by sculling the dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins, reserving the tail for sudden bursts. Porcupinefishes have stout spines or burrs and each jaw consists of a single cutting edge.