| Family: |
Tetraodontidae (Puffers), subfamily: Tetraodontinae |
| Max. size: |
37.5 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 775.0 g |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 3 - 30 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa (including the south coast of South Africa, Ref. 4919) to Indonesia, north to southern Japan. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 9-17. Body covered with prickles (Ref. 559). Dark bars on side of head and below pectoral fins; juvenile specimens from the Pacific with longitudinal dark stripes on belly (Ref. 4919).
Description: Characterized further by pale grey to brown body color, grading to white on ventral surface; pectoral fin base surrounded by large yellowish-brown to nearly black spot; black-edged yellow tail; sometimes with mottled pattern; short and obtuse snout, 2.2-2.4 in head length; bony interorbital width 2.6-3.1 in head length; rounded caudal fin, length about 2.6-3.6 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits weedy areas, often in estuaries; seagrass beds (Ref. 41878) and mangrove areas in 1-1.5 m. Solitary (Ref. 90102). Specimens caught by trawling over silty bottoms in 17 m. (Ref. 9137). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 10 June 2011 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
poisonous to eat |
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