Sphoeroides parvus
Least Puffer
NS
G5
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Tetraodontiformes (Pufferfishes and Allies)
Tetraodontidae (Puffers)
Sphoeroides
Sphoeroides parvus (Least Puffer)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Snout is short and acute. Nostril is paired, and nares are located at ends of short tubes. Interorbital space is relatively broad and slightly flat. Gill slit is arch shaped and slightly shorter than pectoral fin base. Gill rakers are very short and number seven or eight. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 33%–39%, snout length 17%–19%, eye diameter 6%–11%, interorbital width 4%–6%, pectoral fin length 15%–21%, uninflated body depth 15%–24%. Pectoral fin has 13 to 16 (usually 14 or 15) rays. Dorsal fin is narrow based and has 8 or 9 (usually 8) rays. Anal fin is similar in shape to dorsal fin and has 6 to 8 rays. Spinules occur dorsally from nasal tube to dorsal fin origin, laterally from cheek to dorsal fin origin, and ventrally from chin to anus.
Color is dark olive gray dorsally, with pale green spots and usually dark brown spots and blotches, and white ventrally. If pectoral fin axil is darkly pigmented, it is no darker than spots or blotches on sides.
Distribution
western Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico in coastal waters, bays, and estuaries, known from Pensacola, FL
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
coastal waters, bays, and estuaries
Biology
Maximum known size is 150 mm TL
Inhabits shallow, turbid coastal waters and estuaries.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Oviparous (Ref. 101750).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-08-11. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Lacks lappets and has irregularly placed spots on lower flank
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial.
References
Shipp and Yerger 1969a
Shipp 1974
Shipp 2002
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Shipp, R.L. (2003) Tetraodontidae. Puffers. p. 1988-2006. In K.E. Carpenter (ed.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals.
Watson, W. (1996) Tetraodontidae: Puffers. p. 1428-1441. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. 1505p.
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