Amblyrhynchotes honckenii

Evileye puffer | Evileye Blaasop | Evileye Pufferfish
Amblyrhynchotes honckenii
Amblyrhynchotes honckenii, Tsitsikamma, South Africa, Photo: Graham Edgar

Distribution

Temperate Africa, Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Dark brown to black on back with yellowish white spots, yellow sides and white underside. Dorsal, tail and pectoral fins dusky with a yellow tinge, and anal fins white on males, and yellow on breeding females. Commonly found in estuaries and around river mouths. Highly poisonous, hands should be washed after handling this species.


Information

Max Size: 30 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 16.8-22.3°C

Depth: 0-35m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Widespread (50% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields