Species: Sphoeroides tyleri, Bearded puffer
chin: each side very dark
Sphoeroides tyleri Shipp, 1972
Bearded puffer
Body oblong, thick, inflatable; head blunt; 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 slightly rounded, with 10 main rays; tough scaleless skin; skin flaps on side, especially lower side; prickles over most of body before dorsal and anal fins.
Grey-brown above, white below; upper body & head with dark mottling; a row of ~10 indistinct dark spots along lower side, from the chin to the end of the tail base; chin very dark on sides, light at center.
Size: 12.5 cm.
Habitat: sponge and shell bottoms.
Depth: 10-80 m.
Colombia to Brazil.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Sand & gravel
- Sponges
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Soft bottom only
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Sea-stars/cucumbers/urchins
- Data
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- All species.
- Regional Endemism
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- Extends South of GC
- Continent
- Also in Brazil
- Continent only
- All species..
- GC non-endemic
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 12.5
- Depth Range Min
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- 10
- Depth Range Max
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- 80
