Long-spine porcupinefish, Diodon holocanthus, Photo: Michael Lahanas
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Eupercaria
Ordo: Tetraodontiformes
Subordo: Tetraodontoidei
Familia: Diodontidae
Genus: Diodon
Species: Diodon holocanthus
Name
Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus, 1758
References
Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiæ: impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii. i–ii, 1–824 pp DOI: 10.5962/bhl.title.542: 335. Open access Reference page.
Diodon holocanthus in the World Register of Marine Species
Diodon holocanthus in Catalog of Fishes, Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. & van der Laan, R. (eds.) 2024. Catalog of Fishes electronic version.
Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Ballon-penvis
català: Peix eriçó
Deutsch: Braunflecken-Igelfisch
English: Long-spine porcupinefish
français: Poisson-hérisson tacheté
italiano: Pesce istrice, Pesce porcospino
한국어: 가시복
Nederlands: Ballonegelvis
svenska: Brunfläckig igelkottfisk
ไทย: ปลาปักเป้าหนามทุเรียนหนามยาว
Tiếng Việt: Cá nóc nhím gai dài
中文: 六斑刺鲀
The long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus), also known as the freckled porcupinefish, porcupine puffer, and porcupine pufferfish, is a species of marine fish in the family Diodontidae.[2]
Description
Conventional and X-ray images of Diodon holocanthus
The long-spine porcupinefish is pale in color with large black blotches and smaller black spots; these spots becoming fewer in number with age. It has many long, two-rooted depressible spines particularly on its head. The teeth of the two jaws are fused into a parrot-like "beak". Adults may reach 50 cm (20 in) in length.[3] The only other fish with which it might be confused is the black-blotched porcupinefish (Diodon liturosus), but it has much longer spines than that species.[4]
Diet
The long-spine porcupine fish is an omnivore that feeds on mollusks, sea urchins, hermit crabs, snails, and crabs during its active phase at night.[5] They use their beak combined with plates on the roof of their mouths to crush their prey such as mollusks and sea urchins that would otherwise be indigestible.[6][7]
Distribution
The long-spine porcupinefish has a circumtropical distribution, being found in the tropical zones of major seas and oceans:
In the Atlantic it is found from Florida and the Bahamas to Brazil and in the Eastern Atlantic from 30°N to 23°S, as well as around South Africa.
And In the western Indian Ocean from the southern Red Sea to Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius.
Also In the Pacific Ocean from southern Japan to Lord Howe Island, and east to the Hawaiian and Easter islands. Also from southern California to Colombia and the Galapagos Islands.[8]
Habitat
Diodon holocanthus hiding within a reef in Oman
They are found over the muddy sea bottom, in estuaries, in lagoons or on coral and rocky reefs around the world in tropical and subtropical seas.[9]
Spawning
Young Diodon holocanthus in an aquarium
Spawns at the surface at dawn or at dusk in pairs or in groups of males with a single female; the juveniles remain pelagic until they are at least 7 cm (3 in) long.[3] Young and sub-adult fish sometimes occur in groups.
References
Leis, J.L., Matsuura, K., Shao, K.-T., Hardy, G., Zapfe, G., Liu, M., Jing, L., Tyler, J. & Robertson, R. (2015). Diodon holocanthus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T193817A2282138.en
"Common Names List – Diodon holocanthus". FishBase. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) Coral reef guide; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2
"Black-blotched porcupinefish: Diodon liturosus Shaw, 1804". Australian Museum. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
Leis, J.M., 2001. Diodontidae. Porcupine fishes (burrfishes). p. 3958-3965. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome.
"Porcupinefishes". Australian museum. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
Tristan Lougher (2006). What Fish?: A Buyer's Guide to Marine Fish. Interpet Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84286-118-9.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Diodon holocanthus". Fishbase. 6 2007 version.
Kuiter, R.H. and T. Tonozuka, (2001). Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 3. Jawfishes – Sunfishes, Opistognathidae – Molidae. Zoonetics, Australia. pp. 623–893.
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