Southern puffer (Sphoeroides nephelus) fish species and information / pictures of Southern puffer - Sphoeroides nephelus

Southern puffer (Sphoeroides nephelus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Sphoeroides nephelus

Common Name
Southern puffer

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 7. Upper side brown with large dark grey to black spots and light (pale blue or green in fresh specimens) irregular-shaped reticulations. Lower side with an irregular row of dusky to black rounded spots. The axil spot the most intense in the series. Sexually mature, ripe males sometimes covered with brilliant red or orange spots of about 1 mm in diameter (white in preserved specimen). No lappets on head or body (Ref 53033).

Classification

Classified By

Goode & Bean, 1882

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Puffers (Tetraodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: northeastern Florida and northern Gulf of Mexico in the USA and the Bahamas to Campeche in Mexico and Lesser Antilles. Taxonomic status of populations from northern South America to Brazil uncertain.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

11 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 11 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

2.43 s.e. 0.29 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

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

20.0 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: subsistence fisheries

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

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated