Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Sphoeroides parvus, Least puffer

    Bookmode

Taxa

Next

Previous

Literature

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

snout short
many spots & blotches, darker row on lower side
prickes: head & body to D & anus, cheek
no skin flaps
Images
This Species (6) This Genus (11) Similar Species (5)

Next

Previous

Sphoeroides parvus Shipp & Yerger, 1969

Least puffer

Body oblong, thick, inflatable; head blunt;  snout short; nasal organ on each side a short papilla with 2 small holes at end; eyes high on sides of head; jaws are a strong beak composed of 4 fused heavy powerful teeth with a central suture on each jaw; a slit-like gill opening in front of the pectoral fin base; a single short- based dorsal fin at rear of body; a similar-shaped anal fin with origin under or behind last few dorsal rays; dorsal rays 8, anal rays 7; pectoral usually 15-16; no pelvic fins; no spines in the fins; tail fin edge bluntly straight, with 10 main rays; tough scaleless skin, no skin flaps; prickles on skin from snout (extending forward to between nasal papillae) to near dorsal fin and from chin to near anus, also on side of cheek.

Light brown to grey above, with numerous spots and blotches, especially on lower flank where they form an irregular row; a spot inside the axil of the pectoral fin is not darker than other spots; flank pale.

Size: 15 cm.

Habitat: demersal on sand and mud bottoms.

Depth: 5-50 m.

The Gulf of Mexico.

High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Brackish
  • Freshwater
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Mud
  • Estuary
  • Soft bottom only
  • Freshwater
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Bony fishes
  • Sea-stars/cucumbers/urchins
Egg Type
  • Benthic
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
Regional Endemism
  • GC endemic
  • Gulf of Mexico endemic
  • Continent
  • All species..
  • Continent only
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 15
Depth Range Min
  • 5
Depth Range Max
  • 50