OSTEICHTHYES: TETRADONDIFORMES: TETRADONTIDAE: Arothron

Arothron meleagris (Lacepède, 1798)

Golden Puffer

Photo & text by Dr. Robert Sprackland.

Range: Reefs off the coast of southeast Asia and along the Indonesian Lesser Sunda Islands.

Diagnosis:

Description: This is a comparatively long-bodied member of an otherwise short-bodied group of fishes. The body is slatey-gray to brown with numerous round golden or cream colored spots (more yellow in young).

Natural History: Puffers have four very large sharp teeth at the front of the jaws, used to break shells and coral to reach the soft-bodied residents therein.

Reproduction:

Taxonomy & Relationships:

Variation:

Additional Comments:

Type Specimen: Apparently lost.

Literature:

Volkart, Bill. 1991. Puffers: endearing little tank-wreckers. Tropical Fish Hobbyist 39 (6): 124-130.