Longspined Porcupinefish

Diodon holocanthus

Longspined Porcupinefish is a round, slow-moving pufferfish with long erectile spines and a beaklike mouth. It occurs in warm coastal waters worldwide, often resting by day and feeding at night on hard-shelled prey.

Saltwater

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

Identification points

Rounded, balloon-like body with extremely long slender spines.
Two dark body bars/saddles are often visible on the pale body.
Large eyes and a beaklike mouth with fused teeth; no pelvic fins.

Habitat

Shallow tropical to subtropical marine waters, especially reefs, seagrass beds, lagoons, harbors, and sandy or rubble bottoms; juveniles often use sheltered bays and estuaries.

Bait notes

Not a common sportfish; if hooked, it may take small natural baits such as shrimp, squid, or cut bait on light tackle. Small jigs and baited hooks near structure can also catch it.

Behavior

Nocturnal feeder that crushes snails, crabs, mollusks, and urchins with strong fused teeth; sluggish by day, can inflate when threatened, and is often solitary.

Caution

Do not eat unless properly identified and handled by experts; pufferfish contain potent tetrodotoxin, and this species can also inflate and has long spines that can puncture skin. Handle with gloves and keep clear of the mouth and spines.

Fishing notes

Use light gear and release promptly; avoid forcing it onto dry surfaces because inflation increases injury risk. Most anglers target other reef species, and this fish is usually incidental bycatch.