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Classification
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Latin name : |
Diodon hystrix (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Synonyms : |
Diodon brachiatus (Bloch and Schneider, 1801)
Diodon punctatus (Cuvier, 1818)
Diodon spinosissimus (Cuvier, 1818)
Diodon nudifrons (Jenkins, 1903)
Diodon armillatus (Whitley, 1933)
Diodon totara (Curtiss, 1938)
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Classification : |
Diodontidae ( Porcupinefish ) |
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Name : |
Diodon
Poisson porc-épic
Poisson armé
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Name : |
Common porcupinefish
Spot-fin porcupinefish
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Identification
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Main identification characters |
Spines long. Body grayish tan, with small black spots, but no large dark blotches. Belly white, surrounded by dusky ring. About 20 spines in an approximate row between snout and dorsal fin.
Adults can reach lengths up to 36 inches (91 cm), making them the largest spiny puffer species.
Generally common. |
Possible confusions |
Feel free to update this datasheet and complete this data. |
Biology
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Feed |
They are nocturnal predators, with strong jaws for feeding on snails, hermit crabs, and sea urchins. Just as some birds are able to crack open nuts with their strong beak, the porcupinefish can crack open the external skeleton of a sea urchin with its strong beak-like mouth. |
Cycle of life / Reproduction |
Its wide distribution may be attributed to the pelagic, or open ocean, stage of the eggs and larvae. The eggs are spherical, drift with the current, and hatch after about five days. Early planktonic larvae have large amounts of yolk still present, lack a functional mouth, and have not developed full eye pigmentation. It takes a few days for the yolk to be used up and for the body to develop to where the larvae truly resemble fish. Pelagic juveniles are often associated with large clumps of floating seaweeds called sargassum, and are often consumed by dolphin (mahi mahi) and billfishes. The duration of this pelagic stage is unknown, but at some point the juveniles travel to shallower waters to become adults. |
Interaction with other species |
Poisonous to eat. |
Distribution
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Habitat |
Coral |
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Occurs in lagoon and seaward reefs to at least 50 m. Commonly seen in caves and holes in shallow reefs. Juveniles to about 20 cm are pelagic. Adults benthic. |
Geographical distribution |
Circumtropical.
Pacific: San Diego, California, USA to Chile, including the Galapagos Islands and French Polynesia.
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Massachusetts (USA), and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil.
Eastern Atlantic: Mediterranean Sea. |
Links
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Websites : |
http://ichtyonb1.mnhn.fr/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Diodon
http://www.brunsonimages.com/gallery/TropicalFish/pufferfish_15.html
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Porcupine/Porcupine.htm
http://www.uog.edu/marinelab/fish/species_html/diodon.hystrix.html
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Bibliography
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Découvrir la mer des Cara?bes et l'Atlantique tropical
Steven Weinberg
Nathan, 2000
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Découvrir la mer Rouge et l'océan Indien
Steven Weinberg
Editions Nathan 1996, 1997
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Guide du récif corallien de Mer Rouge
Helmut Debelius
PLB Editions, 1998
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Data sheet written by Christophe Naslain , 19/11/2002
Updates :
Christophe Naslain - 23/11/2002 Abystrale - 27/08/2006
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Comments |
Add a comment
Comment from julie
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tres bien
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Posted date 25/05/2005 |
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Comment from julie
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je sais que j'ai deja répondu mais vous devriez tra duire des chose coome la reproduction |
Posted date 31/05/2005 |
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