Genus: Sphoeroides, Common Puffer, Puffer-Fishes

SPHOEROIDES

PUFFER-FISHES

Body oblong, thick, inflatable; head large, 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 and anal fins 6-9; no pelvic fins; no spines in the fins; tail fin edge usually straight to convex, with 10 main rays; tough scaleless skin, covered to varying extent with small thin spines, sometimes with fleshy skin flaps.

A worldwide, tropical to temperate genus with about 23 species; 10 species occur in our region - 4 endemics, 1 NW Atlantic species, 5 W Atlantic species and 1 Circumglobal species found mainly in temperate areas.