Lagocephalus spadiceus
Lagocephalus spadiceus (Richardson, 1845)
Half-smooth golden pufferfish
Lagocephalus spadiceus
photo by Tran, H.H.

Family:  Tetraodontidae (Puffers), subfamily: Tetraodontinae
Max. size:  37.4 cm TL (male/unsexed); 43.1 cm TL (female); max.weight: 1,075.0 g
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea, South Africa, Australia. Introduced (Lessepsian) in eastern Mediterranean, Israel, Lebanon, Iskenderun, Mersin, Aegean Sea.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal soft rays: 10-12
Biology:  Essentially an inhabitant of marine waters, but enters the mouths of rivers (Ref. 4833). Analysis of L. spadiceus showed that its tetrodotoxin levels were below the limit of quantification in tissues like the liver, muscle, and skin, indicating that the species is not poisonous (Ref. 137809).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 June 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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