Starry Puffer

Arothron stellatus, commonly known as the stellate pufferfish, starry puffer, or starry toadfish, is a demersal marine fish belonging to the family Tetraodontidae. It can be found in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific region.

Arothron stellatus is a large pufferfish that can grow up to 120 cm (47 in) in length. Its body shape is oval, spherical, and relatively elongated. The skin is prickly and not covered with scales. It lacks a pelvic fin and lateral line. The dorsal and anal fins are small, symmetric, and located at the rear end of the body. The head is large with a short snout that has two pairs of nostrils. The mouth is located at the terminal end and features four strong teeth. The background coloration ranges from white to grey and the body is adorned with black spots in a harmonious pattern. The ventral area is typically lighter in color. The size of the spots decreases as the fish grows, with young individuals having larger spots and fully-grown adults exhibiting smaller spots. Juveniles have a yellowish body background coloration with dark stripes. Young adults retain stripes on the ventral area, which later transform into spots, along with some remnants of yellow on the body.

Arothron stellatus can be found in tropical and subtropical waters spanning from the 🌊 Indian Ocean and 🌊 Red Sea to Polynesia, southern 🇯🇵 Japan, the western, northern, and eastern coasts of 🇦🇺 Australia, as well as Lord Howe Island. It is a relatively uncommon species that inhabits external reef slopes and sheltered lagoons with clear water. It primarily resides in close proximity to sandy areas, at depths ranging from the surface to approximately 58 m (190 ft).

Arothron stellatus primarily feeds on benthic invertebrates, sponges, algae, coral polyps (such as Acropora), crustaceans, and molluscs. This pufferfish is diurnal and generally solitary, defending its territory.

Arothron stellatus possesses a highly toxic poison called tetrodotoxin, which is primarily found in its ovaries and, to a lesser extent, its skin and liver, serving as protection against predators. The fish becomes toxic by consuming bacteria that contain the toxin. In defense, it can inflate its body by swallowing air or water.