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Bonaire Underwater Coral Photos

Long-spine porcupinefish

diodon holocanthus

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Fun Facts

These fish are shy and will retreat into hiding if approached by other living things. 

Species Type:

Fishes

Common Name(s):

Long-spine porcupinefish

Size:

Long-spine porcupinefish grow to be 8-14 inches (20-35 centimeters) long, on average.

Diet:

These fish are nocturnal, meaning they hunt at night for snails, sea urchins and hermit crabs.

Range & Habitat:

Throughout the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and eastern Pacific Ocean, these fish inhabit shallow coral reef communities. They also live in seagrass beds and along rocky surfaces.

Details:

Long-spine porcupinefish look very similar to other porcupinefish species, except they have dark brown spotting all over their body and a dark bar running from eye to eye. When threatened, these fish inflate their spiky bodies with water to appear large and dangerous.