Hawaii's Reef Fishes

Puffers (Tetraodontidae)

Stripebelly Puffer Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The puffers are named for their ability, when alarmed, to enlarge their bodies by drawing water (or air if out of the sea) into a highly distensible ventral diverticulum of the stomach.

They are characterized further by having the teeth in their jaws fused to beak-like dental plates (with a median suture); a slit-like gill opening in front of pectoral-fin base; dorsal and anal fins posterior in position, without spines; no pelvic fins; and no ribs.

The skin is tough and without scales, but small spinules are often present, especially ventrally. Puffers are well known for producing a powerful poison, tetradotoxin, in their tissues, especially the liver and ovaries. The toxin varies greatly in strength in the different species, some being safe to eat, and others potentially lethal; it can also vary with geographical area and the reproductive season.

Spotted Puffer

Arothron meleagris (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) O'opu hue

Brown to nearly black with small white spots; one rare color phase entirely bright yellow; dorsal rays 11 or 12; anal rays 12 or 13. Largest examined, 13.5 inches (34 cm). Indo-Pacific and tropical eastern Pacific.

A coral-reef species; feeds mainly on corals, but also ingests sponges, mollusks, bryozoans, tunicates, polychaeteworms,algae,and detritus.

Stripebelly Puffer

Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) O'opu hue

Olive to gray dorsally with scattered small white spots, shading to white on sides and ventrally; a black area with white circles around pectoral-fin base; dark stripes usually present on abdomen; dorsal and anal rays 10 or 11.

Largest, 19 inches (48.5 cm). Indo-Pacific and tropical eastern Pacific; occurs from estuaries to coral reefs. Feeds on algae and a wide variety of benthic invertebrates.

All information and pictures in this section are from John E. Randall's Shore Fishes of Hawai'i by permission of the author.