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whitish + grey mottling
black mask: eye to blotch around pectoral base
mouth in black blotchArothron diadematus, Masked pufferC white, D&A grey + black base -
2 black stripes: tail base to gill openingC: base - 2 black spots, upper & lower margins thinly blackCanthigaster figueiredoi, South Atlantic sharpnose puffer, Two-stripe Sharpnose-puffer
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D base - black spot2 dark stripes: tail base to gill openingC yellow + blue spots & streaksCanthigaster jamestyleri, Goldface toby
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tail base: 2 dark stripes end under D & A basesC yellow, top & bottom margins broadly blackCanthigaster rostrata, the Sharpnose-puffer
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belly no spotsjuv: 3-4 saddlesC top lobe longerLagocephalus laevigatus, Smooth pufferpectoral uniform color
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belly with spotsjuv: 9 barsC bottom lobe longerLagocephalus lagocephalus, Oceanic pufferpectoral bicolored - dark above, white below
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head long, slender1 pr black skin flaps on back
flank 1-5 diffuse dark blotches
male: cheeks marbledupper body - prickles back to D
C slightly concaveSphoeroides dorsalis, Marbled puffer -
upper body - few dark indistinct blotchesprickles: narrow strip along back -snout to pectoral tip; & chin to near anus; none on sides
no skin flapsSphoeroides georgemilleri, Plaincheek pufferpectoral 16 -
sides usually with skin flapshead & body - groups of spots -> irregular blotchesprickles: top body - eyes to DSphoeroides greeleyi, Green pufferpectoral 13-15
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lower flank: row ~6-8 dark bars
upper head & body - tiny black spotsprickles: all body to level D & A
no skin flapsSphoeroides maculatus, Northern puffer -
concave between eyes
snout longupper body - small rosettes of pale dots, lower flank - row dark spotsprickles: variable amounts on body
no skin flapsSphoeroides nephelus, Southern puffer -
v blunt head
wide between eyesindistinct dark blotches on flankskin smooth, no pricklesSphoeroides pachygaster, Blunthead pufferC straight/ slightly concave -
snout shortmany spots & blotches, darker row on lower sideprickes: head & body to D & anus, cheek
no skin flapsSphoeroides parvus, Least puffer -
skin flaps: lower back & sideslower side: even row 11-14 strong, dark, round spots
C 2 black barsprickles: small part of belly & flankSphoeroides spengleri, Bandtail puffer -
2 pale bars between eyesback: dark polygons in pale mesh
flank many spotsprickles: most body, imbedded, not noticeable
no skin flapsSphoeroides testudineus, Checkered puffer -
side with skin flapslower head & body: row ~10 indistinct spots
chin: each side very darkprickles: most body before D levelSphoeroides tyleri, Bearded pufferupper part: dark mottling -
upper part: many red-brown dots, often in rosetteslower side pale + many tiny black dots
flank - many pale skin flapsprickles above, below & sometimes on side bodySphoeroides yergeri, Speckled puffer