Common Name: Spotted Porcupinefish

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Circumtropical distribution. In Australia recorded from north Western Australia, across the tropical north to Queensland and south to central New South Wales, and including Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coral and rocky reefs, lagoons, commonly in caves and holes in shallow reefs. Depth to at least 50 m.

Additional Notes: Greyish tan body with small black spots, pale belly. Juveniles to about 20 cm are pelagic. Feeds on molluscs, sea and heart urchins, hermit and other crabs. Distinguished from Dicotylichthys punctulatus by absence of dark bands and inclusion of spots on fins. Grows to at least 91 cms usually 40 cm. 

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p. 465.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Diodon-hystrix.html. Accessed 24/05/18.