Shortspine Porcupinefish

Q: Where can you find Shortspine Porcupinefish?

Shortspine Porcupinefish can be found in: Egypt East, Laccadive Islands, Saudi Arabia West, Malaysia East, Taiwan, Australia South, Australia North, Malaysia West, Anilao, Somalia East, Vanuatu, Sudan, Brunei, China, Myanmar, Eritrea, Australia, Hong Kong, Kenya, India, Israel, Japan South, India East, India West, Thailand East, Thailand West, Israel South, Indo-Pacific West, Oman, Oman East, Somalia North, Australia East, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Vietnam, Seychelles, Cambodia, Indo-Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, South West Africa, Singapore, Tanzania, Malaysia, Bahrain, South Africa, Red Sea, Japan, Indonesia, Chagos Islands, Mozambique, Jordan, Philippines, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Egypt, Yemen, Mascarene Islands, Madagascar, Djibouti, Comoros, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Somalia.

Cyclichthys orbicularis

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Max Depth

170 m

Cyclichthys orbicularis is a species of marine fish in the family Diodontidae.

Other names: Birdbeak burrfish.

Description

It is a medium size fish with immovable spines. Adults brown to grey with blotches and clusters of black spots on back and sides; pelagic juveniles covered with black spots. It can reach a maximum size of 30 cm length.

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Philippines, north to southern Japan, south to Australia and New Caledonia. Southeast Atlantic: south coast of South Africa.

Habitat

It is nocturnal. It presumably feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates. Inhabit clear protected reefs with sponge and algal habitats. Often in large sponges during the day. Usually over sand and mud bottoms to at least 170 m. Occasionally on reefs.