Distinguishing Characteristics |
Body elongate, globular, lower skin loose; color brown to gold (or yellow) on back and upper sides with several large black spots and many smaller lighter dots, lower sides and belly white; jaws form a beak with 2 teeth in upper jaw and 2 in lower jaw; no pelvic fins; dorsal and anal fins set far back near tail fin; small spiny projections (prickles) on belly; prickles on head and back. |
Similar Species |
Differs from the smooth puffer by having small spiny projections (prickles) on its head and back; differs from porcupinefishes by having a beak with 4 teeth (2 upper and 2 lower), porcupinefish have only 1 upper and 1 lower teeth in beak, porcupinefishes also have large spines, least puffer has small prickles. |
Habitat |
Gulf and bay |
Maximum Size |
15 cm (6 in) |
Fin Element Counts |
none (explain) |
Other Common Names |
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Previous Scientific Names |
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Comments |
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State size/bag limits |
None; Check for state record. |