Triodon macropterus, Threetooth puffer

Triodon macropterus Lesson, 1831

Threetooth puffer
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Triodon macropterus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Triodon macropterus (Threetooth puffer)
Triodon macropterus
Picture by Justine, J.-L.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) > Triodontidae (Three-toothed puffer)
Etymology: Triodon: Greek, tres, tria = three + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 50 - 300 m (Ref. 4419). Tropical

Distribution Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to the Philippines, north to Japan, south to Australia and New Caledonia. Recently reported from Tonga (Ref. 53797).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 54.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4419)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10. This species is easily distinguished from superficially similar tetraodontid and diodontid larvae or early juveniles of comparable size by the following characters: separate premaxillae in conjunction with fused dentaries; with multicuspid spinoid scales; a jet-black mark in front of the soft dorsal fin; the developing pelvis, which is visible through the distended skin of the belly; with a number of procurrent caudal fin rays. It differs from the adult in having a huge head that measures 45% SL (vs. 28.5-32.7% in adult), absence of the characteristic dewlap with the conspicuous lateral ocellus, and structures of the scales and nostrils (Ref. 54815). Body yellowish-brown; belly flap white except for a yellow area around a black blotch (Ref. 4419).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep; Cross section: angular.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Rare species (Ref. 4419).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Smith, M.M., 1986. Triodontidae. p. 894. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 4419)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)

Not Evaluated 

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | National databases | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search |