Common Name: Starry Puffer

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Widespread throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa through Indonesia to Tuamotos Islands, north to Southern Japan, south to Australia. In Australia recorded from Shark Bay in Western Australia, across the tropical north to Queensland, south to southern New South Wales and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents patch reef and coral slopes near clear lagoon and seaward reefs. Juveniles sandy and inner reefs and muddy estuarine areas. Adults observed high above the substrate or just below the surface. Depth to at least 58 m.

Additional Notes: Juveniles brownish colour with dark stripes on belly that become spots with maturity. Adults light to dark grey, numerous close spaced small black spots on body, sometimes in reticulated pattern, belly pale. Largest of the genus and relatively uncommon across its range, grows to at least 1.2 m in length.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.460.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.fishbase.se/summary/Arothron-stellatus.html. Accessed 25/04/18.