white-spotted pufferfish [130K]

This large White-spotted pufferfish is doing a great job of keeping its distance, as I struggle to keep up for a camera shot. Its left eye is bulging outward as it swivels out of the socket to monitor my movements as it swims. The white-spotted puffer's diet is said to include the infamously destructive Crown of Thorns starfish. A large puffer at nearly 19 inches (48 cm), it is diminutive compared to the map puffer, at 25 inches (65 cm).

Identification:  Arothron hispidus

spotted puffer close-up [119K]
white-potted puffer close-up


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