Genus: Diodon, Porcupinefish, Porcupinefishes
nasal organ: flat tube with 2 holes
many large erectile spines
DIODON
PORCUPINEFISHES
Body robust, elongate, inflatable; head wide and blunt; eyes large; nasal organ a short flat tentacle with 2 openings; teeth fused into a strong, parrot-like beak with two plates that lack a front groove, large, opens widely at front; gill opening a vertical slit before pectoral base; pectorals large; fins without spines; no pelvic fins; body and head covered with numerous long (> eye), erectible, 2-rooted, slender, round spines, 12 to 20 or more spines between snout and dorsal fin.
A circumtropical genus with 7 species; 3 circumtropical species in our region.
