# Arothron
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arothron
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Arothron.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arothron
> Source revision: 1352437775
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Arothron manilensis.jpg
| image_caption = [Narrow-lined puffer](/source/Narrow-lined_puffer) (''Arothron manilensis'')
| image2 = Botete negro (Arothron meleagris), Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, México, 2024-12-19, DD 54.jpg
| image2_caption = Guineafowl puffer ([Arothron meleagris](/source/Arothron_meleagris))
| taxon = Arothron
| authority = [J. P. Müller](/source/Johannes_Peter_M%C3%BCller), 1841
| subdivision =
| diversity = 14 species
}}
'''''Arothron''''' is a [genus](/source/genus) of [pufferfish](/source/pufferfish) that belongs to the family [Tetraodontidae](/source/Tetraodontidae). These [species](/source/species) are sometimes kept in [aquaria](/source/aquarium).[{{Cite journal |last=Lee |first=Chieh-Hsuan |last2=Přikryl |first2=Tomáš |last3=Hsu |first3=Yu-Chieh |last4=Lin |first4=Chien-Hsiang |date=2026-03-31 |title=First skeletal record of the pufferfish Arothron (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae) from the Early Pleistocene of southern Taiwan |url=https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2026/5823-pleistocene-pufferfish-from-taiwan |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |language=English |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=1–15 |doi=10.26879/1668 |issn=1094-8074|doi-access=free }}]
== Distribution ==
They have a wide range of distribution being found in warm parts of the [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Ocean), [Indian](/source/Indian_Ocean) and [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean).[{{FishBase genus | genus = Arothron | month = December | year = 2016}}] They are easily distinguishable from other genera of pufferfish through several characteristics. The first is a single lateral line on the sides of their bodies. Their nostrils have the appearance of an upraised cup with two fleshy flaps. They are easily visible to the naked eye.[Mishra, Subhrendu & Chakraborty, Priyankar & Yardi, Kranti. (2021). New record of white-spotted pufferfish Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae) from West Bengal, India, compared with other Arothron species occurring in India. Journal of Fisheries. 9. 93401. 10.17017/j.fish.332. ]
==Species==
There are currently 14 recognized species in this genus:[{{Catalog of Fishes |genus=Arothron|access-date=28 March 2025}}]
* ''[Arothron caeruleopunctatus](/source/Arothron_caeruleopunctatus)'' [Matsuura](/source/Keiichi_Matsuura), 1994 (Blue-spotted puffer)
* ''[Arothron carduus](/source/Arothron_carduus)'' ([Cantor](/source/Theodore_Edward_Cantor), 1849)
* ''[Arothron diadematus](/source/Arothron_diadematus)'' ([Rüppell](/source/Wilhelm_Peter_Eduard_Simon_R%C3%BCppell), 1829) (Masked puffer)
* ''[Arothron firmamentum](/source/Arothron_firmamentum)'' ([Temminck](/source/Coenraad_Jacob_Temminck) & [Schlegel](/source/Hermann_Schlegel), 1850) (Starry puffer)
* ''[Arothron hispidus](/source/Arothron_hispidus)'' ([Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus), 1758) (White-spotted puffer)
* ''[Arothron immaculatus](/source/Arothron_immaculatus)'' ([Bloch](/source/Marcus_Elieser_Bloch) & [J. G. Schneider](/source/Johann_Gottlob_Theaenus_Schneider), 1801) (Immaculate puffer)
* ''[Arothron inconditus](/source/Bellystriped_blaasop)'' [J. L. B. Smith](/source/James_Leonard_Brierley_Smith), 1958 (Belly-striped puffer)
* ''[Arothron manilensis](/source/Arothron_manilensis)'' ([Marion de Procé](/source/Pierre-Martin_Marion_de_Proc%C3%A9), 1822) (Narrow-lined puffer)
* ''[Arothron mappa](/source/Arothron_mappa)'' ([Lesson](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Primev%C3%A8re_Lesson), 1831) (Map puffer)
* ''[Arothron meleagris](/source/Arothron_meleagris)'' (Anonymous, referred to [Lacépède](/source/Bernard_Germain_%C3%89tienne_de_La_Ville-sur-Illon%2C_comte_de_Lac%C3%A9p%C3%A8de), 1798) (Guineafowl puffer)
* ''[Arothron multilineatus](/source/Arothron_multilineatus)'' [Matsuura](/source/Keiichi_Matsuura), 2016 (Many-lined puffer)[{{cite journal|author=Matsuura, K. |year=2016|title= A new pufferfish, ''Arothron multilineatus'' (Actinopterygii: Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae), from the Indo-West Pacific|journal=Ichthyological Research|volume= 63 |issue=4|pages= 480-486}}]
* ''[Arothron nigropunctatus](/source/Arothron_nigropunctatus)'' ([Bloch](/source/Marcus_Elieser_Bloch) & [J. G. Schneider](/source/Johann_Gottlob_Theaenus_Schneider), 1801) (Black-spotted puffer)
* ''[Arothron reticularis](/source/Arothron_reticularis)'' ([Bloch](/source/Marcus_Elieser_Bloch) & [J. G. Schneider](/source/Johann_Gottlob_Theaenus_Schneider), 1801) (Reticulated puffer)
* ''[Arothron stellatus](/source/Arothron_stellatus)'' (Anonymous, referred to [Lacépède](/source/Bernard_Germain_%C3%89tienne_de_La_Ville-sur-Illon%2C_comte_de_Lac%C3%A9p%C3%A8de), 1798) (Stellate puffer)
;Synonyms
* ''Arothron aerostaticus'' (Jenyns, 1842) valid as ''Arothron stellatus''
* ''[Arothron gillbanksii](/source/Arothron_gillbanksii)'' (Clarke, 1897) valid as ''Arothron firmamentum''
* ''Arothron leopardus'' (Day, 1878) valid as ''[Chelonodon leopardus](/source/Chelonodon_leopardus)''
* ''Arothron perspicillaris'' (Rüppell, 1829) valid as ''Arothron hispidus''
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q220417}}
Category:Arothron
Category:Actinopterygii genera
Category:Taxa named by Johannes Peter Müller
{{Tetraodontiformes-stub}}
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arothron](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arothron) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arothron?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.