Longspined porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) fish species and information / pictures of Longspined porcupinefish - Diodon holocanthus

Longspined porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Diodon holocanthus

Common Name
Longspined porcupinefish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13 - 15. Pelagic juveniles with spots, particularly prominent on belly; adults with dark blotches across back and spots between the blotches; fins without spots (Ref. 4423). 14 to 16 spines in an approximate row between snout and origin of dorsal fin; with a large brown bar above and below each eye; a broad transverse brown bar on occipital region of head (Ref. 13442).

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Porcupinefishes (burrfishes) (Diodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumtropical in distribution. Western Atlantic

Distribution

Circumtropical in distribution. Western Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951), Florida, USA and the Bahamas to Brazil (Ref. 7251). Eastern Atlantic: 30?N to 23?S (Ref. 6951); also South Africa (Ref. 4423). Western Indian Ocean: southern Red Sea to Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius (Ref. 53568). Pacific Ocean: southern Japan south to Lord Howe Island and east to the Hawaiian and Easter islands (Ref. 37816). Also from southern California, USA to Colombia (Ref. 11482) and the Galapagos Islands (Ref. 5227).

Range

37°N - 39°S, 8°E - 55°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

200 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 200 m (Ref. 5951), usually 2 - 35 m (Ref. 40849)

Trophic Level

3.3 s.e. 0.52 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

50.0 cm

Common Length

15.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5313 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (28 of 100)

Resilience

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

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated