Appearance
Pale in colour with large black blotches and smaller black spots, these spots becoming fewer in number with age. Has many long, two-rooted depressible spines particularly on its head. The teeth of the two jaws are fused into a parrot-like "beak". Adults may reach 50 cm in length. The only other fish with which it might be confused is the black-blotched porcupinefish, but it has much longer spines than that species.
Distribution
The Longspined porcupinefish has a circumtropical in distribution, being found in the tropical zones of major seas and oceans:⤷ In the Atlantic it is found from Florida and the Bahamas to Brazil and in the Eastern Atlantic from 30°N to 23°S, as well as around South Africa.
⤷ In the western Indian Ocean from the southern Red Sea to Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius.
⤷ In the Pacific Ocean from southern Japan to Lord Howe Island, and east to the Hawaiian and Easter islands. Also from southern California to Colombia and the Galapagos Islands.
Habitat
Found over the muddy sea bottom, in estuaries, in lagoons or on coral and rocky reefs around the world in tropical and subtropical seas.
Food
The species' diet includes sea urchins and hard-shelled mollusks.Feeds on mollusks, sea urchins, hermit crabs, snails, and crabs during its active phase at night. They use the beak combined with plates on the roof of the mouth to crush their prey such as molluscs and sea urchins that would otherwise be indigestible.
Uses
It is used in Chinese medicine, and is captured at the surface with a hand net. It is poisonous if not prepared correctly.References:
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