marbled puffer
Sphoeroides dorsalis
Pufferfish of soft bottoms, between 18 and 100 m, which shows up in commercial fisheries and is rarely caught on a rod.
Also called: baiacu-jaspeado, baiacu, botete jaspeado, marbled puffer
- maximum
- 20 cm
- depth
- 18–100 m
who is the marbled puffer
Pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae, reaching 20 cm. It lives on soft bottoms of the shelf, usually between 18 and 100 m deep. It occurs in the western Atlantic, from North Carolina, USA, to Suriname, including the Caribbean, and there are also records from Brazil. In Latin America it appears in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Like other pufferfish, it has teeth fused into strong plates. It has a commercial fishery and is rarely caught on a rod.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the marbled puffer; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Short, deep body, typical of soft-bottom pufferfish, with the marbled pattern that gives the species its name. Like the whole family Tetraodontidae, it has teeth fused into plates that form a strong beak, and its body inflates when the fish feels threatened. To tell it apart from Sphoeroides pachygaster, check the depth: that one lives between 50 and 250 m, while this species generally lives at 18 to 100 m, over soft bottoms.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It lives in the western Atlantic, from North Carolina to Suriname, with records from Brazil, and in Latin America it also appears in Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
Habitat: Soft bottoms of the continental shelf, usually between 18 and 100 m deep.
coast
rules for the marbled puffer
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
When hooked, it tends to inflate its body, so keep it in the water until you remove the hook carefully. Like other pufferfish, it can carry toxin in the flesh and organs: do not take it home to eat.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02512, b = 2.88; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Sphoeroides dorsalis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sphoeroides dorsalisNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
