Reticulate Toadfish, Arothron reticularis (Bloch & Schneider 1801)


Other Names: Lined Toado, Reticulated Pufferfish, Reticulated Toadfish

A Reticulate Toadfish, Arothron reticularis, at Townsville, Queensland, June 2021. Source: Adam Smith / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A greenish-brown puffer with many white lines, spots and reticulations above, white lines around the eye and gill opening, and lower sides ans belly white with greenish-brown lines curving upwards on sides of head; pectoral fin base black, often with pale lines, and white pigment surrounding the anus. Fins greenish-brown, caudal fin with pale spots.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2022, Arothron reticularis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/851

Reticulate Toadfish, Arothron reticularis (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

More Info


Distribution

Dampier Archipelago to Kalumburu, Western Australia, and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, to Brisbane Waters near Sydney, New South Wales. Elsewhere the species occurs in east-Indo-west Pacific: India eastward to Fiji, and north to Japan.
Inhabits shallow coastal reefs near sand or weed areas, in estuaries and protected bays. Juveniles often occur amongst mangroves and in the lower reaches of streams.

Similar Species

Differs from the Stars-and-stripes Puffer, Arothron hispidus, in having curved pale and dark lines or bands on the snout, cheek and belly rather than white spots.

Etymology

The specific name reticularis is from the Latin reticulum (= little net, net like) in reference to the reticulated pattern of this species.

Species Citation

Tetraodon reticularis Bloch & Schneider, 1801, Systema Ichthyologiae: 506. Type locality: Malabar and Tranquebar, India.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2022

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Reticulate Toadfish, Arothron reticularis (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.

Blaber, S.J.M., Young, J.W. & Dunning, M.C. 1985. Community structure and zoogeographic affinities of the coastal fishes of the Dampier region of north-western Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36: 247-266.

Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801. Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum. Berlin 584 pp. 110 pls. See ref at BHL

Hutchins, B. 2004. Fishes of the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 66: 343–398.

Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3)

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.

Marshall, T.C. 1964. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coastal Waters of Queensland. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 566 pp. 136 pls.

Matsuura, K. & Toda, M. 1981. First records of two pufferfishes, Arothron mappa and A. reticularis, from Japan. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 28(1): 91-94 figs 1-2

Randall, J.E., Bogorodsky, S. & Rose, J. 2012. Color variation of the puffer Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus) and comparison with A. reticularis (Bloch & Schneider). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology 18. 41-54. 

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1985. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls.

Shao, K., Liu, M., Jing, L., Hardy, G., Leis, J.L. & Matsuura, K. 2014. Arothron reticularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T193716A2265592. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T193716A2265592.en. Accessed on 21 February 2022.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37467021

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Danger:Poisonous

Depth:1-53 m

Habitat:Reefs & estuaries

Max Size:45 cm SL

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Species Maps

CAAB distribution map