Three-bar Porcupinefish, Balloonfish, Burrfish, Spotted Porcupine Fish
Dicotylichthys punctulatus, Adult, NSW, Australia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Dicotylichthys punctulatus, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Tom Davis
Dicotylichthys punctulatus, Juvenile, Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Graham Edgar
Dicotylichthys punctulatus, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Tom Davis
Distribution
Localised
Description
Short, widely-spaced spines. White body with small black spots and 3 dark bars. Temperate and subtropical east coast.
Information
Max Size: 40 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 15.3-25.6°C
Depth: 1-50m
Habitat: Coral Reef, Rocky Reef
Habitat Generalisation Index: 5.3
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
Rarity
IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Common (26% 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: Solitary (1 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney
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