Animal Species:Smooth Golden Pufferfish, Lagocephalus inermis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1847)

The Smooth Golden Pufferfish is rounded in cross-section. It has a smooth body with a patch of low spines from the chin to the anus. The two teeth in both jaws form a powerful beak.

Smooth Golden Pufferfish, Lagocephalus inermis

Smooth Golden Pufferfish, Lagocephalus inermis
Christopher Power © Christopher Power

Alternative Name/s

Smooth Northern Toadfish

Identification

The Smooth Golden Pufferfish is rounded in cross-section. It has a smooth body with a patch of low spines from the chin to the anus. The two teeth in both jaws form a powerful beak. The body and head are green-brown above, yellow-silver on the sides and white below. The pectoral fin is bright yellow and the anal fin is white. Six species of Lagocephalus are recorded from Australian waters.

Size range

The species grows to at least 30 cm in length but anecdotal reports suggest that it can grow considerably larger.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific. In Australia it is known from coastal waters of north-western Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country, and south to the southern coast of New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Lagocephalus inermis

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Smooth Golden Pufferfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:
inermis
Genus:
Lagocephalus
Family:
Tetraodontidae
Order:
Tetraodontiformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of Northwestern Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & P.J. Kailola. 1984. Trawled Fishes of southern Indonesia and northwestern Australia. Jakarta: Directorate General of Fisheries (Indonesia), German Agency for Technical Cooperation, Australian Development Assistance Bureau. Pp. 406.
  4. Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J., & G.G. Leyland. 1985. Continental Shelf Fishes of northern and northwestern Australia. An illustrated Guide. CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research. Pp. 375.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Smooth Golden Pufferfish, Lagocephalus inermis, Tetraodontidae, yellow, green, brown, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, countershaded, coastal, tropical, marine, adult,