Masked Puffer

Arothron diadematus

Masked Puffer (Arothron diadematus) is a reef-associated pufferfish with a dark facial mask and pale body. It is a marine species from the Red Sea and nearby western Indian Ocean; records outside that core range may reflect introductions or misidentifications.

Saltwater

Masked Puffer reference image — Diego Delso, cc-by-sa, via Wikimedia Commons. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Identification points

Dark facial mask across the snout and around the eyes
Rounded pale body with scattered dark spotting or mottling
Small pectoral fins and a blunt, beak-like mouth typical of puffers

Habitat

Shallow coral and rocky reefs, lagoon slopes, and sheltered coastal reef flats in the Red Sea and adjacent western Indian Ocean, usually near complex structure where it can forage over sand and rubble.

Bait notes

Not a standard sport target. If incidentally hooked, small pieces of shrimp, squid, crab, or shellfish on light bottom rigs may take it, but anglers usually release it.

Behavior

A slow-moving, solitary benthic feeder that picks at hard-shelled invertebrates and algae with its beak-like teeth. Like other Arothron puffers, it can inflate when threatened and is not a target gamefish.

Caution

Do not eat; pufferfishes can contain tetrodotoxin and are potentially fatal if misidentified or prepared incorrectly. Handle cautiously because inflation and the beak-like teeth can complicate unhooking.

Fishing notes

Fish near reef edges and rubble with small bait on the bottom if you are sampling species assemblages, but this puffer is generally best treated as a non-target bycatch. Handle carefully and keep out of the landing net if possible.