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Checkered Puffer

Sphoeroides testudineus

Summary 4

The Checkered Puffer (Sphoeroides testudineus) is a species in the family Tetraodontidae, or pufferfishes.

Comprehensive description 5

The checkered puffer (Sphoeroides testudineus), like other puffers in the fish family Tetraodontidae, is able to inflate its body by swallowing water (or air, if it is removed from the water), making the fish globular and difficult for predators to attack (Robins et al. 1986). Like many other puffers, the checkered puffer can be highly toxic as a result of tetrodotoxins and saxitoxins in their bodies (Abbott et al. 2009), making them potentially quite dangerous to consume. Like all puffers, it is a poor swimmer and propels itself by flapping its small dorsal and anal fins (Boschung et al. 1983).

Biology 6

Commonly found in bays, tidal creeks and protected coastal waters, especially on seagrass beds, and in brackish water. Rare or absent on coral reefs. Does not form schools, but may form huge aggregates. Hides in the sand when frightened (Ref. 9710). Feeds mainly on bivalves, gastropods, foraminiferans and several other benthic invertebrates specially crustaceans, which it crushes with its powerful teeth (Ref. 35237). To ward off predators, it inflates itself like a balloon. Highly toxic; used to poison cats and dogs (Ref. 2861).

Distribution 7

Boschung et al. (1983) write that the checkered puffer occurs from New Jersey (U.S.A.) to southeastern Brazil, including Central America and the Caribbean, but is not known from the Gulf of Mexico.

Robins et al. (1986) give the range of this species as Rhode Island, Bermuda, and southern Gulf of Mexico to southeastern Brazil.

The checkered pufferis abundant from the Atlantic coast of southern Florida, throughout the Caribbean Islands, Campeche Bay, and along the coasts of Central and South America to Santos, Brazil (Shipp 1974, cited in Targett 1979).

Morphology 8

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 11

Size 9

Maximum size: 388 mm TL

Diagnostic description 10

Greenish above, pale yellow to white below; back has series of pale lines and arcs suggesting concentric circles with intersecting lines. No other puffer has this color pattern (Ref. 26938).

Lookalikes 11

There are a number of other Sphoeroides puffers in addition to the checkered puffer (S. testudineus). One of the more distinctive is the bandtail puffer (Sphoeroides spengleri), which occurs from Massachusetts to southeastern Brazil and is frequently encountered in Bermuda, South Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. This species has a lengthwise row of large, distinct spots on its lower sides from the chin to the base of the caudal (tail) fin, a dark bar on the base and on the outer third of the caudal fin, and fleshy flaps on the back and sides (Boschung et al. 1983; Robins et al. 1986). Checkered puffers grow to a larger size and are heavier than bandtail puffers at a given length (Targett 1979).

Habitat 12

The checkered puffer is found over mud and sand to 11 fathoms (66 feet or about 20 meters). It sometimes occurs in nearly fresh water and often around mangroves. In the United States, its center of abundance is southern Florida (Boschung et al. 1983).

The checkered puffer is common in bays, tidal creeks, and protected coastal waterways, especially on seagrass beds, but is rare or absent around coral reefs (Robins et al. 1986).

The checkered pufferis a common tetraodontid in Caribbean mangrove and other shallow habitats (Targett 1978). Juveniles and adults are found primarily in seagrass beds, but also occur in other shallow near-shore marine and brackish habitats, including tidal creeks and mangrove lagoons (Pauly 1991). Very little is reported on the behavior of this species, but they feed extensively on sessile prey and rely on their inflationary abilities for defense, reducing the need for fast, active swimming (Targett 1978).

Associations 13

The checkered puffer has no known obligate associations. However, as inhabitants of a variety of coastal ecosystems, checkered puffers are associated with several organisms common to mangroves, seagrass beds and rocky intertidal zones. For lists of other species found throughout the ecosystems in which S. testudineus occurs, please refer to the "Habitats of the IRL" link at the left of this page.

Behaviour 14

In a study in a Caribbean mangrove habitat, in Honduras, MacDonald et al. (2009) found that checkered puffers spent about 60% of their time resting in place, often protected within the maze of mangrove roots, following brief intervals spent swimming or feeding.

Life cycle 15

Spawning season is from late spring to early fall at Biscayne Bay, Florida. Mean length at first maturity is over 13 cm TL.

Reproduction 16

In a study in Biscayne Bay, Florida, U.S.A., Targett (1979) found that the checkered puffer spawning season begins in the spring and is concentrated during summer and early fall. Over the female size range examined, fecundity averaged 1,146 eggs/gram of body weight.

Link to Access Genomic Data 17

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=722567&lvl=0

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Kevin Bryant, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mentalblock/5433326905/
  2. (c) Callie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Callie
  3. (c) Raredon, Sandra J., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/services/media.php?env=fishes&irn=10334619
  4. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphoeroides_testudineus
  5. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/17570581
  6. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20915708
  7. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289688
  8. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20915710
  9. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) FishWise Professional, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/24198587
  10. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20915709
  11. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/17763390
  12. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289689
  13. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11527611
  14. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289683
  15. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20915713
  16. Adapted by matbio from a work by (c) Shapiro, Leo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/11289691
  17. (c) matbio, all rights reserved

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