A checklist on taxonomic diversity of order Tetraodontiformes (Actinopterygii) from Indian waters Author Pillai, Honey Unnikrishna Marine Fish Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700016, India Author Dutta, Sayani 0009-0009-0480-0308 Marine Fish Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700016, India duttasayani20@gmail.com Author Kumar, Vimal 0000-0001-7207-1308 Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala, 682506 vimalkumarkg@gmail.com text Zootaxa 2025 2025-09-15 5692 3 555 566 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5692.3.7 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5692.3.7 1175-5326 17323263 71BA2023-883F-4B1A-AC97-2F1DC3C57905

TABLE 3. A checklist of tetraodontiform fishes available from the Indian waters.

Serial No.	Classification/Species	NE AS	SE AS	NW BoB	SW BoB	AN	LK	Common Name	IUCN Status
Class: Actinopterygii Order: Tetraodontiformes Family: Balistidae Genus: Balistapus
1.	Balistapus undulatus (Park 1797)	-	+	+	+	+	+	Orange-Lined triggerfish	LC
Genus: Balistoides
2.	Balistoides viridiscens (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	-	-	+	+	+	Titan Triggerfish	NE
Genus: Odonus
3.	Odonus niger (Rüppell 1836)	+	+	+	+	+	+	Redtoothed triggerfish	LC
Genus: Sufflamen
4.	Sufflamen fraenatum (Latreille 1804)	-	+	+	+	+	+	Masked triggerfish	LC
5.	Sufflamen bursa (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	+	-	+	-	-	Lei Triggerfish	LC
6.	Sufflamen chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	+	-	+	+	+	Halfmoon triggerfish	LC
Genus: Abalistes
7.	Abalistes stellatus (Anonymous 1798)	+	+	+	+	+	-	Starry triggerfish	LC
Genus: Melichthys
8.	Melichthys niger (Bloch 1786)	-	-	+	-	+	+	Black triggerfish	LC
9.	Melichthys vidua (Richardson 1845)	-	-	-	-	+	+		NE
Genus: Pseudobalistes
10.	Pseudobalistes fuscus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	-	-	+	+	-	Pinktail triggerfish	LC
11.	Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus (Rüppell 1829)	-	+	-	+	+	+	Yellowfish triggerfish	LC
Genus: Rhinecanthus
12.	Rhinecanthus aculeatus (Linnaeus 1758)	-	+	-	+	+	+	Lagoon triggerfish	LC
13.	Rhinecanthus rectangulas (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	-	-	+	+	+	Wedgetail triggerfish	NE
14.	Rhinecanthus verrucosus (Linnaeus 1758)	-	-	+	-	+	-		LC
Genus: Xanthichthys
15.	Xanthichthys lineopunctatus (Hollard 1854)	-	+	+	-	-	-	Striped triggerfish	LC
16.	Xanthichthys ringens (Linnaeus 1758)	-	-	-	-	-	+	Sargassum triggerfish	LC
Family- Diodontidae Genus: Diodon
17.	Diodon hystrix Linnaeus 1758	+	+	+	+	+	+	Spotfin porcupine fish	LC
18.	Diodon liturosus Shaw 1804	-	-	-	+	+	-	Blach blotched porcupine fish	LC
19.	Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus 1758	+	+	+	+	+	-	Long spine porcupine fish	LC
Genus: Lophodiodon
20.	Lophodiodon calori (Bianconi 1854)	-	-	-	+	-	+	Four-bar porcupine fish	LC
Genus: Cyclichthys
21.	Cyclichthys orbicularis (Bloch 1785)	-	+	+	+	-	-	Birdbeak burrfish	LC
22.	Cyclichthys spilostilus (Leis & Randall 1982)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Spotbase burrfish	NE
Genus: Tragulichthys
23.	Tragulichthys jaculiferus (Cuvier 1818)	-	+	+	+	-	-	Longspine burrfish	NE
Family: Tetraodontidae Genus: Arothron
24.	Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus 1758)	-	+	+	+	+	+	White-spotted puffer	LC
25.	Arothron stellatus (Anonymous 1798)	-	+	+	+	+	+	Stellate puffer	LC
26.	Arothron immaculatus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	+	+	+	+	+	-	Immaculate puffer	LC
27.	Arothron nigropunctatus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	+	+	+	+	-	Blackspotted puffer	LC
28.	Arothron firmamentum (Temminck & Schlegel 1850)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Starry toadfish	LC
29.	Arothron reticularis (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	+	-	+	+	+	-	Reticulated pufferfish	LC
30.	Arothron mappa (Lesson 1831)	-	-	+	+	+	-	Map puffer	LC
31.	Arothron meleagris (Anonymous 1798)	-	-	-	+	-	+	Guineafowl puffer	LC
Genus: Lagocephalus
32.	Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro 1915	+	+	+	+	+	-	Diamondback puffer	LC
33.	Lagocephalus inermis (Temminck & Schlegel 1850)	+	+	+	+	-	-	Smooth Blaasop	LC
34.	Lagocephalus lunaris (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	+	+	+	+	+	-	Lunartail puffer	LC
35.	Lagocephalus spadiceus (Richardson 1845)	+	+	+	+	-	-	Half-smooth golden pufferfish	LC
36.	Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin 1789)	-	+	+	+	+	-	Silver-cheeked toadfish	LC
37.	Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Linnaeus 1758)	-	-	+	+	-	+	Oceanic puffer	LC
38.	Lagocephalus laevigatus (Linnaeus 1766)	-	-	+	+	-	-	Smooth puffer	LC
39.	Lagocephalus cheesemanii (Clarke 1897)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Cheesman’s puffer	DD
40.	Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar 1953	-	-	-	+	-	-		LC
Genus: Chelonodon
41.	Chelonodon patoca (Hamilton 1822)	+	+	+	+	+	-	Milkspotted puffer	LC
42.	Chelonodon laticeps Smith 1948	-	-	-	+	-	-	Bluespotted puffer	LC
43.	Chelonodon leopardus (Day 1878)	-	-	+	+	-	-	Banded leopard blowfish	NE
Genus: Takifugu
44.	Takifugu oblongus (Bloch 1786)	+	-	+	+	-	-	Lattice Blaasop	LC
Genus: Sphoeroides
45.	Sphoeroides pachygaster (Müller &Troschel 1848)	-	+	-	-	-	-	Blunthead puffer	LC
Genus: Dichotomyctere
46.	Dichotomyctere fluviatilis (Hamilton 1822)	-	+	+	+	-	-	Green pufferfish	LC
47.	Dichotomyctere nigroviridis (Marion de Procé 1822)	+	-	-	-	-	-	Leopard puffer	LC
Genus: Canthidermis
48.	Canthidermis maculata (Bloch 1786)	-	-	+	+	+	+	Rough triggerfish	LC
49.	Canthidermis rotundata (Marion de Procé 1822)	-	-	+	-	-	+		LC
Genus: Canthigaster
85.	Paramonacanthus sulcatus (Hollard 1854)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Mudbank Filefish	LC
86.	Paramonacanthus nematophorus (Günther 1870)	-	-	-	+	+	-	Filefish	DD
Genus: Pervagor
87.	Pervagor melanocephalus (Bleeker 1853)	-	+	-	+	+	-	Redtail Filefish	LC
Genus: Lalmohania
88.	Lalmohania velutina Hutchins 1994	-	-	-	+	-	-	Velvet Filefish	LC
Genus: Amanses
89.	Amanses scopas (Cuvier 1829)	-	-	-	+	+	-	Broom Filefish	LC
Genus: Acreichthys
90.	Acreichthys tomentosus (Linnaeus 1758)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Bristletail Filefish	LC
Genus: Cantherhines
91.	Cantherhines dumerilii (Hollard 1854)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Whitespotted Filefish	LC
92.	Cantherhines fronticinctus (Günther 1867)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Spectacled Filefish	LC
93.	Cantherhines longicaudus Hutchins & Randall 1982	-	-	-	+	-	-	Polynesian Filefish	DD
94.	Cantherhines pardalis (Rüppell 1837)	-	+	-	+	+	+	Honeycomb Filefish	LC
95.	Cantherhines rapanui (de Buen 1963)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Rapanui Filefish	DD
96.	Cantharhines sandwichiensis (Quoy & Gaimard 1824)	-	-	-	-	-	+		NE
Genus: Chaetodermis
97.	Chaetodermis penicilligerus (Cuvier 1816)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Leafy Filefish	LC
Genus: Oxymonacanthus
98.	Oxymonacanthus longirostris (Bloch & Schneider 1801)	-	+	-	+	+	+	Harlequin Filefish	VU
Genus: Paraluteres
99.	Paraluteres prionurus (Bleeker 1851)	-	-	-	+	-	+	False Puffer	LC
100.	Paraluteres arqat Clark & Gohar 1953	-	-	-	-	+	-	Red Sea Mimic Filefish	DD
Genus: Pseudomonacanthus
101.	Pseudomonacanthus peroni (Hollard 1854)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Potbelly Leatherjacket	LC
Genus: Stephanolepis
102.	Stephanolepis aurata (Castelnau 1861)	-	-	-	+	-	-		NE
103.	Stephanolepis diaspros Fraser-Brunner 1940	-	-	-	+	-	-	Reticulated Leatherjacket	LC
104.	Stephanolepis hispida (Linnaeus 1766)	+	-	-	-	-	-	Planehead Filefish	NE
Genus: Thamnaconus
105.	Thamnaconus modestoides (Barnard 1927)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Modest Filefish	LC
106.	Thamnaconus striatus (Kotthaus 1979)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Manyline Leatherjacket	LC
107.	Thamnaconus multilineatus (Tanaka 1918)	-	-	-	+	+	-	Easter Filefish	LC
Genus: Pseudalutarius
108.	Pseudalutarius nasicornis (Temminck & Schlegel 1850)	-	+	-	+	-	-	Rhinoceros Leatherjacket	LC
Genus: Monacanthus
109.	Monacanthus chinensis (Osbeck 1765)	-	-	-	-	+	-	Fan-bellied Leatherjacket	LC
Genus: Acanthaluteres
110.	Acanthaluteres spilomelanurus (Quoy & Gaimard 1824)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Bridled Leatherjacket	LC
Family: Ostraciidae Genus: Ostracion
111.	Ostracion cubicum Linnaeus 1758	-	+	+	+	+	+	Yellow Boxfish	LC
Genus: Tetrosomus
112.	Tetrosomus gibbosus (Linnaeus 1758)	+	+	+	+	+	-	Humpback Turretfish	LC
113.	Tetrosomus concatenates (Bloch 1785)	-	-	+	+	-	-	Triangular Boxfish	NE
114.	Tetrosomus reipublicae (Whitley 1930)	-	-	+	+	-	-	SmallspineTurretfish	NE
Genus: Lactoria
115.	Lactoria cornuta (Linnaeus 1758)	-	+	+	+	+	+	Longhorn Cowfish	LC
116.	Lactoria fornasini (Bianconi 1846)	-	-	-	+	-	-	Thornback Cowfish	LC
Family: Molidae Genus: Mola
117.	Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758)	+	+	+	+	-	-	Ocean Sunfish	VU
118.	Mola alexandrinii (Ranzani 1834)	-	-	+	+	-	-	Giant Sunfish	NE
119.	Mola lanceolatus (Liénard 1840)	-	+	-	+	-	+	Sharptail Mola	NE
Genus: Ranzania
120.	Ranzania laevis (Pennant 1776)	+	+	+	+	-	-	Slender Sunfish	LC
Genus: Masturus
121.	Masturus lanceolatus (Liénard 1840)	+	+	-	+	-	-	Sharptail Mola	LC
Total	121	25	51	54	102	53	34