Family : Diodontidae (Porcupinefishes (burrfishes))
Order : Tetraodontiformes  (puffers and filefishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Spot-fin porcupinefish
Fish Name : Diodon hystrix
Max size : 91.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 2850); max. published weight: 2,800 g (Ref. 40637)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 2 - 50 m
Climate : subtropical; 35°N - 31°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tmax>10; preliminary K=0.12)Distribution : Circumtropical. Eastern Pacific: San Diego, California, USA to Chile, including the Galapagos Islands (Ref. 37955). Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Massachusetts (USA), and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil (Ref. 7251). Eastern Atlantic: 30°N to 23°S (Ref. 6951). Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea to Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius (Ref. 33390). Mediterranean (Ref. 50345).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-17; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 14-16. Body robust; teeth united in each jaw but without a central division; body covered with long, sharp spines, folded backwards when body not inflated; 16 to 20 spines between snout and dorsal fin; dorsal region of caudal peduncle spiny; back, flanks and fins light brown with numerous dark spots; belly spiny (Ref. 55763). Spines long. Body grayish tan, with small black spots, but no large dark blotches. Belly white, surrounded by dusky ring (Ref. 26938). About 20 spines in an approximate row between snout and dorsal fin (Ref. 13442).
Biology : Occur in lagoon and seaward reefs to at least 50 m. Commonly seen in caves and holes in shallow reefs (Ref. 26938, 48637). Juveniles to about 20 cm are pelagic. Adults benthic (Ref. 30573). Solitary and nocturnal that feed on hard shelled invertebrates like sea urchins, gastropods, and hermit crabs (Ref. 9680). Generally common (Ref. 9710). Not normally used as food (Ref. 3717). Reached a life-span of 10 years and a length of 69 cm in the McGinty Aquarium (E. Dashiell, pers. comm 2004), suggesting a preliminary K=0.12
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : poisonous to eat , Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene. 1990. (Ref. 2334)

India country information
Common Names : Spotted porcupine fish, വേര് കുണ്ണൊന്  , മുള്ളന് ചമാഞിന്, മുള്ളന് ചമ്മണിയന്, വീര്ക്കുന്നോന്, Bankocho, Kari-koli, Mullan-chamanian, Veerkunnon
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses