DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ZOOGEOGRAPHY

ECOLOGY

BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

VALUE OF FISH RESOURCES

CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

DANGEROUS MARINE FISHES

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SPECIES INDEX

CHAMORRO NAMES

TETRAODONTIDAE (PUFFERS)

Arothron nigropunctatus (Bloch & Schneider)
(Raccoon Puffer, Black-spotted Puffer; Butete)
SL: to 20 cm (photo: 12 cm SL, Merizo, 7 m)

The Racoon Puffer is a common inhabitant of both protected and exposed reefs from 0.2 to at least 40 m, usually in areas of rich coral growth.  It is a solitary species which feeds primarily on coral as well as on crustaceans and molluscs.  Of Guam’s four remaining species of Arothron, only the pinstriped, off-white A. immaculatus and the white-spotted-and-striped, brown A. hispidus are likely to be encountered.  The former is common in seagrass beds and turbid inner reef areas, and the latter occurs in protected sandy and rubbly areas of lagoons, channels, and seaward reefs to a depth of 20 m.

INDO-PACIFIC: Red Sea: to Ducie, n. to the Ryukyus and Bonins, s. to New South Wales, Australia.