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Map Pufferfish
Arothron mappa (Linnaeus, 1758)
A Map Pufferfish at a depth of 27m, Yongala Wreck, off Townsville, Queensland, November 2001. View larger image.
A Map Pufferfish at a depth of 12m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, December 2000. View larger image.
A Map Pufferfish being cleaned by Axilspot Hogfish (view fact sheet) at a depth of 28m, "Steve's Bommie", Ribbon Reef #3, Great Barrier Reef off Cooktown, Queensland, December 2001. View larger image.
The Map Pufferfish is yellowish-grey dorsally, white ventrally and covered with an intricate pattern of dark lines. The gill opening and pectoral fin base are both surrounded by a large black botch and black lines radiate from the eye.
This species grows to 60cm in length.
The Map Pufferfish lives on coral reefs. It has an Indo-West Pacific distribution.
In Australia it is known from north-western Western Australia and from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to northern New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
