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Black-spotted Porcupinefish
Diodon hystrix Linnaeus, 1758
A Black-spotted Porcupinefish at a depth of 23 m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, April 2004. Photo © I. Shaw. View larger image.
A Black-spotted Porcupinefish at a depth of 18 m, Redang Island, off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia, April 2001. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
The Black-spotted Porcupinefish has stout spines on the head and body. It is greenish to grey-brown above and paler below. The head, body and fins are covered with fine black spots.
This species grows to at least 70 cm in length.
It occurs on coral and rocky reefs in tropical marine waters worldwide.
In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia and the northern Great Barrier Reef to northern New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
