© Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia Full citation Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia: Volume 1 - Bony and Cartilaginous Fishes. Report for the South Australian Working Group for Marine Species of Conservation Concern. J. Baker (consultant); Science and Conservation Division, and Coast and Marine Conservation branches of S.A. Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH); Marine and Coastal Community Network of S.A. (MCCN), and Threatened Species Network (TSN). Web version published by Reef Watch, South Australia.

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DIODONTIDAE: PORCUPINE FISHES

© John Lewis

The Diodontidae comprises about 22 species (Froese and Pauly, 2007) of slow-moving fishes, found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Members of the family have bodies covered with large spines, and as a defence mechanism, porcupine fishes can inflate their bodies by ingesting water or air, giving the body a globular appearance (Gomon, in Gomon et al., 1994; Edgar, 2000). Both the eggs and the young are pelagic. Diodontids feed primarily on hard-shelled invertebrates, crushed by the “beak” (Kuiter, 1993, 2000; Nelson, 1994, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007).
Two of the common and widespread species found in southern Australian waters are included here, due to their high frequency of capture in trawl fisheries, and probable high mortality rate due to that process.

Associated taxa

Globefish / Porcupine Fish	Diodon nicthemerus Cuvier, 1818
Australian Burrfish / Deepwater Burrfish	Allomycterus pilatus Whitley, 1931