Scientific Name
Sphoeroides spengleri

Common Name
Bandtail puffer

Biology
Dorsal soft rays (total): 9. 11-14 sharply defined round black spots on head and lower side of body. The numerous tan lappers on the rear part of the body and distinct spots along the lower side make it unmistakable (Ref. 26938).

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1785

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Puffers (Tetraodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA to Santa Catarina, Brazil (Ref. 57756). Replaced by Sphoeroides marmoratus in the eastern Atlantic (P. Wirtz, pers. comm. 10/04).

Range

40°N -

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

70 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 70 m (Ref. 26999)

Trophic Level

3.15 s.e. 0.41 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

12.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Poisonous to eat (Ref. 3821)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated