Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 11. This species is characterized by the following: The body is generally greenish-brown in color, the back, sides and caudal fin profusely speckled with white spots, and the belly marked with white bars. A single bent lateral line. Body with small spines except around snout and caudal peduncle. Each nostril with two fleshy solid tentacles. Restricted gill opening.

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Tetraodontiformes

Family: Tetraodontidae

Genus: Arothron

Species: Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Inhabit outer reef slopes to depths of at least 50 m, inner reef flats and lagoons. Juveniles common in weedy areas of estuaries (Ref. 4919). Also found in coastal bays and estuaries, usually near rocky reef or on sand-stretches between reefs with low algae-rubble reef to about 20 meters depth, or in shallow with sparse seagrass growth (Ref. 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Usually solitary and territorial on sandy to rubble areas. Feed on fleshy, calcareous, or coralline algae, detritus, mollusks, tunicates, sponges, corals, zoanthid anemones, crabs, tube worms and echinoderms (Ref. 1602).

Habitat

brackish