Porcupine Pufferfish
Diodon hystrix
Sighting evidence at The Shipyard, Lhaviyani Atoll
Porcupine pufferfish roam coral gardens at The Shipyard using their fused beak-like teeth to crunch through hard-shelled sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans that other fish cannot exploit. When threatened they inflate themselves with water to three times normal size and erect sharp spines, making them nearly impossible to swallow. By controlling sea urchin populations they indirectly protect coral from overgrazing by urchins during phases of algal competition.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Porcupine Pufferfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.