naked puffer
Sphoeroides lispus
Sandy-bottom puffer of the Gulf of California, reaching 35.2 cm. It is taken in commercial fishing.
Also called: baiacu-pelado, botete liso, naked puffer
- maximum
- 35 cm
- depth
- 5–20 m
who is the naked puffer
The family Tetraodontidae brings together the puffers, rounded fish that can inflate with water. This species reaches 35.2 cm and occurs in Mexico, throughout the Gulf of California to Magdalena Bay, in Baja California Sur. It lives near the bottom, from 5 to 20 m. Adults stay in bays over sandy bottoms, and small juveniles in more open areas over gravel or rocky bottoms. It is taken in local commercial fishing, but is of no interest to sport fishing.
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 naked puffer; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Puffer with a short, rounded body and a strong beak, like others in its genus. Adults live in bays and over sand, and small juveniles in more open areas over gravel or rocky bottoms. Its range helps: it lives only in the Gulf of California and southern Baja California, which separates it from similar puffers farther south.
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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
Occurs in Mexico, throughout the Gulf of California to Magdalena Bay, in Baja California Sur. There are no records on the Brazilian coast.
Habitat: Sandy bottoms in bays, and gravel or rocky bottoms in open areas (juveniles), from 5 to 20 m.
rules for the naked 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.
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.
Like other puffers, it has a strong beak: hold it away from your fingers and release it promptly. Do not take it home to eat, because puffers can be toxic.
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 lispus (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 lispusNames by country and language.
