Ringed Toadfish, Omegophora armilla (McCulloch & Waite 1915)

Other Names: Ringed Puffer, Ringed Pufferfish, Ringed Toado

Summary:

An easily recognised toadfish with a narrow black ring almost surrounding the pectoral-fin base. Body oval-shaped and densely covered in small spines to the tail base; snout somewhat pointed, chin not prominent.

Some pufferfishes are extremely poisonous and this species should not be eaten.

Cite this page as:

Dianne J. Bray, Omegophora armilla in Fishes of Australia, accessed 09 Oct 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/874

Ringed Toadfish, Omegophora armilla (McCulloch & Waite 1915)

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to temperate waters of the southern half of Australia, from about Botany Bay, New South Wales, to Shoal Point, Western Australia and northern Tasmania. The Ringed Toadfish is relatively common in the southwest, and is rarely seen in Tasmanian waters. Inhabits sandy bottoms and rocky reefs in bays, estuaries and along the coast, at depths of 1-146 m.
Features	Meristic features: Dorsal fin rays 11-13; Anal fin rays 9-11; Caudal fin rays 11; Pectoral fin rays 20-23. Body elongate, rounded, densely covered in small spines to tail base; chin not prominent; nostril with single small tentacle; pectoral fin small, somewhat bilobed.
Size	To 25 cm.
Colour	Pale to medium brown or grey above, pale below, with a thin, black ring around the pectoral-fin base. Adult males with blue spots on head and sides, and a thin, blue margin around the black ring.
Feeding	Carnivore - feeds on benthic invertebrates.
Fisheries	Of no interest to fisheries, although may be taken as bycatch in commercial trawls.
Conservation	EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed IUCN Red List : Not listed
Remarks	Some pufferfishes are extremely poisonous, concentrating highly poisonous toxin in their internal organs, but also sometimes in the skin and blood. This species should not be eaten.
Species Citation	Tetraodon armilla Waite, E.R. & McCulloch, A.R. 1915. The fishes of the South Australian Government trawling cruise, 1914. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 39: 455-476 fig. 1 pls 12-15 [475, pl. 15]. Type locality: Great Australian Bight
Author	Dianne J. Bray

Ringed Toadfish, Omegophora armilla (McCulloch & Waite 1915)

References

Allen, G.R. 1985. Fishes of Western Australia. Book 9. 2207-2534 526 pls in Burgess, W.E. & Axelrod, H.R. (eds). Pacific Marine Fishes. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications.
Hardy, G.S. 1994. Family Tetraodontidae. pp. 902-912, figs 795-804 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.
Hardy, G.S. & Hutchins, J.B. 1981. On the validity of the pufferfish genus Omegophora Whitley (Tetraodontidae) with description of a new species. Records of the Western Australian Museum 9(2): 187-201 figs 1-3
Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.
Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs.
Matsuura, K. 2008. Families Ostraciidae, Tetraodontidae. pp. 842-856 in Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.
Thomson, J.M. 1978. A Field Guide to the Common Sea & Estuary Fishes of Non-tropical Australia. Sydney : Collins 144 pp.
Waite, E.R. & McCulloch, A.R. 1915. The fishes of the South Australian Government trawling cruise, 1914. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 39: 455-476 fig. 1 pls 12-15