---
title: Porcupinefishes (Diodontidae)
scientific_name: Diodontidae
common_name: Porcupinefishes
rank: Family
published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z
updated: 2026-08-03T21:09:33.279Z
tags: Porcupinefishes, Diodontidae, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/porcupinefishes
---

# Porcupinefishes (*Diodontidae*)

## Quick facts

- **Rank:** Family
- **Scientific name:** Diodontidae
- **Body shape:** Box - Rigid, boxy or globe-like body that cannot bend - boxfishes, puffers, porcupinefishes.
- **Species listed here:** 4

## How to recognise this group

- body covered in prominent, fixed or erectile spines
- robust, somewhat globe-like body capable of rapid inflation
- large, parrot-like beak formed by fused teeth
- absence of pelvic fins
- large eyes and often mottled brown/grey/yellow colour with dark spots

Porcupinefishes (Diodontidae) are robust-bodied fishes, growing up to 100 cm (39 in) in length. Their robust bodies are covered in prominent spines, which can be fixed or erectile. They possess large eyes and lack pelvic fins. A powerful, parrot-like beak, formed by two large, fused tooth plates in each jaw, gives the family Diodontidae its name, meaning "two teeth." Body coloration typically ranges from mottled browns and greys to yellowish, often marked with dark spots or bands.

These fishes inhabit shallow reef flats and adjacent sandy areas, occurring down to at least 100 m (330 ft) in the Red Sea. They are primarily nocturnal and usually live solitarily. Porcupinefishes feed on hard-shelled invertebrates such as crabs, sea urchins, and molluscs. When threatened, they rapidly inflate their bodies with water or air, causing their spines to stand erect as a defensive measure.


## Species (4)

- [Birdbeak Burrfish (Cyclichthys orbicularis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/porcupinefishes/birdbeak-burrfish)
- [Shortspine Porcupinefish (Diodon liturosus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/porcupinefishes/shortspine-porcupinefish)
- [Spot-fin Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/porcupinefishes/spot-fin-porcupinefish)
- [Yellow-spotted Burrfish (Cyclichthys spilostylis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/porcupinefishes/yellow-spotted-burrfish)

---

*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/porcupinefishes)*
*Updated: August 3, 2026*