Black-blotched porcupinefish
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| Black-blotched porcupinefish | ||||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
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| Diodon liturosus Shaw, 1804 |
Contents |
[edit] Range
- Indo-Pacific: Red Sea, East Africa to the Society Islands, north to southern Japan, south to New South Wales.
- Southeast Atlantic: southeast coast of South Africa.[1]
[edit] Description
Up to 65 cm long, diodon liturosus is tan in colour, with several yellow-edged dark blotches on its body and many short, depressible spines.[2] The similar species Diodon hystrix has longer spines, and different colouration.
[edit] Diet
Feeds on crustaceans and molluscs.
[edit] Habitat
Found up to 40m deep, usually associated with reef edges and slopes. This species is nocturnal: during the day it usually hides in caves or under ledges, but may venture out to feed under plate corals.
[edit] Hazards
Although not usually sold as a food fish, it has been associated with ciguatera poisoning.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "diodon liturosus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 6 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
- ^ Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) Coral reef guide; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2
