Genus: Lagocephalus, Puffer Fishes, Rabbitfish Puffer

LAGOCEPHALUS

PUFFER FISHES

Body elongate, inflatable; snout longer than distance between eyes; eyes high on sides of head; nasal organs consist of 2 holes on side of snout; jaws are a beak composed of 4 fused heavy powerful teeth with a central suture on each jaw; mouth small, beak projecting; 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 below the dorsal; dorsal and anal fins pointed; dorsal 11-15 rays; anal 10-13 rays; no pelvic fins; no spines in the fins; tail base slender (depth < ½ length); tail fin with edge slightly concave, with 10 main rays; tough scaleless skin, body smooth except for small spines from chin to anus and on belly.

A circumglobal tropical to temperate genus with 10 species; 1 circumtropical and 1 trans-Atlantic species in our region.