Relevant synonyms None Misidentification None Meristic formula D, 13-14; A, 10-12; P, 20-22.  photo : John E. Randall

SHORT DESCRIPTION Capable of inflating the body. When not inflated, wide and round. Dorsal and anal fins rounded, extremely posterior in position. Dorsal fin slightly in front of anal fin. Caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fin wide with vertical margin. Pelvic fin absent. Snout short. Large terminal mouth, wide beak-like upper and lower dental plates, without median suture. Large eyes extending the contour of dorsal profile. Gill opening slit like and located just before pectoral fin base. Body and head bear three-rooted and four-rooted stout spines fixed in an erect position. No spines on the caudal peduncle. color : back-brown-grey to olive-green with white belly. Yellow-orange spots at the base of spines on the back and upper flank. Black spots at the base of spines on belly. size : common 12-25 cm (max. 35 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Diodon hystrix: spines two-rooted and flat when not inflated. Tetraodontidae: teeth in each jaw fused, with median suture. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Feeds on hard covered invertebrates, which it crushes with its massive dental plate. Probably nocturnal. Eggs and larvae planktonic. habitat : benthic and rocky in coastal waters (but recorded in 90 m).

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Ashdod, Israel, 1993. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : wide Indo-Pacific. A single record from the Galapagos Islands. Mediterranean : only a single specimen collected, in trawl, Ashdod, Israel (Golani, 1993). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very rare. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Golani D., 1993. Trophic adaption of Red Sea fishes to the eastern Mediterranean environment - Review and new data. Israel Journal of Zoology, 39: 391-402. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: January 2009 ©ciesm 2002