least puffer
Sphoeroides parvus
Small pufferfish of murky coastal and estuarine waters, living in the northern and western Gulf of Mexico.
Also called: baiacu-pequeno, botete xpú, least puffer
- maximum
- 15 cm
who is the least puffer
Pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae, with a short, deep body, reaching 15 cm. It has spines on the snout, cheeks and belly, from near the chin almost to the anus. It lives near the bottom, in shallow, murky, coastal and estuarine waters, including brackish ones. It occurs in the northern and western Gulf of Mexico, from northwest Florida, USA, to Campeche, Mexico. It has a commercial fishery, but is rarely seen by rod anglers.
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 least puffer; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
The upper body is light gray or brown, with many spots and smudges, especially on the lower flanks, where they form an irregular row. The belly has no pigment and is pale. It has small spines from the snout to near the dorsal fin. It has no skin flaps. Unlike Sphoeroides spengleri, which has many brown skin flaps on the rear of the body, this species has none.
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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
In Latin America it occurs only in Mexico, in the northern and western Gulf of Mexico, down to Campeche.
Habitat: Shallow, murky, coastal and estuarine waters, near the bottom.
rules for the least 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.
It poses no danger to anglers and is rarely caught on rod and reel. Like other pufferfish, it may contain toxin: 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 parvus (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 parvusNames by country and language.
