Least puffer (Sphoeroides parvus)

Scientific name: Sphoeroides parvus Shipp & Yerger, 1969

Least puffer (Sphoeroides parvus)

The Least puffer (Sphoeroides parvus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Tetraodontidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, northern and western Gulf of Mexico, from northwestern Florida in USA to Campeche in Mexico.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 7. Dorsally and laterally, basal pigmentation is a light grey or brown, with numerous spots and blotches, especially evident on lower flanks, where they form an irregular row near the ventrolateral body angle. An axil spot present, but is no more intense than other lateral spots and blotches. Ventral surface unpigmented. Prickles present from the snout to near dorsal fin, and chin to near to near anus ventrally, and present laterally on cheeks and to near level of dorsal fin. Lappets absent (Ref 53033).

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Sphoeroides parvus
Family
Tetraodontidae (Puffers)
Order
Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
15.0
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Western Atlantic: northern and western Gulf of Mexico, from northwestern Florida in USA to Campeche in Mexico.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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