Family : Diodontidae (Porcupinefishes (burrfishes))
Order : Tetraodontiformes  (puffers and filefishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Long-spine porcupinefish
Fish Name : Diodon holocanthus
Max size : 50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 7251)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 2 - 200 m
Climate : subtropical; 37°N - 39°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Distribution: 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).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-15; Anal spines: 0-0; 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).
Biology : Inhabit shallow reefs to open, soft bottoms. Also in areas with rocky substrata. Sometimes form groups (Ref. 9710, 48637). Occur on open muddy substrates as well as on rich soft-bottom and coral reefs. Juveniles often with floating Sargassum rafts. Young and sub-adults may form small groups (Ref. 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Juveniles pelagic to about 6-9 cm. Solitary. Feed on mollusks, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and crabs at night (Ref. 9680). Relatively poor swimmers (Ref. 9710). Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166). Captured at the surface using a hand net (Ref. 26165)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Olsen, D.A., D.W. Nellis and R.S. Wood. 1984
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Leis, J.M.. 1984. (Ref. 3393)

India country information
Common Names : Bloched porcupine fish, Bankocho
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses