Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis and Randall, 1982)

Leis, Jeffrey M., 2006, Nomenclature and distribution of the species of the porcupinefish family Diodontidae (Pisces, Teleostei), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63 (1), pp. 77-90 : 82

Cyclichthys spilostylus (Leis and Randall, 1982)

Chilomycterus spilostylus Leis and Randall, 1982: 363 , figs 1, 2 (Red Sea)*

*extant types

Based on examination of 23 museum specimens, including the types. This species was mis-identified as Cyclichthys echinatus (Linnaeus, 1758, ref. 2787) by some authors (see Leis and Randall, 1982, ref. 8453), but echinatus is most likely a synonym of Chilomycterus reticulatus (Linnaeus) . Other than this, there are no real questions as to the identity of this wide-ranging species. The pelagic stage of this species has a tentacle emerging from each spine. These tentacles are lost at settlement.

Distribution. Indo-Pacific

W Indian Ocean – Capetown, South Africa to Gulf of Elat, Red Sea, Muscat to western India and Mauritius (also a MediterraneanrecordfromIsraelbyGolani(1993),presumably via Suez Canal)

E Indian Ocean – Northwest Cape, Western Australia to Bali

W Pacific – Southern Japan to Hong Kong, Philippines, New Caledonia, and northern Great Barrier Reef.

E Pacific – Galapagos (single record, including photograph, by Humann [1997], repeated by Grove and Lavenberg [1997], ref. 24023).