Diodon liturosus Shaw, a New Record of Porcupine Fish from North-eastern Coast of India

  
       Dorsal view of Diodon liturosus Shaw                    Head showing downward
                                                                                           pointing spine below eye

     A collection from Digha coast of West Bengal has been examined that contained a porcupine fish (Diodontidae: Tetraodontiformes) with body covered with two rooted, erectile spines, but none of the spines wholly on caudal peduncle and short frontal spines, that distinctly shorter than the spines behind pectoral fin; 19 spines from lower jaw to anus; a downward pointing spine below anterior margin of eye; large dorsal blotches with distinct pale yellow border; blotch below eye not continuing over top of head. This has been identified as Diodon liturosus Shaw.It closely resembles Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus which lacks a downward pointing spine below anterior margin of eye; dorsal blotches without pale border; blotch below eye continues through interorbital region and 12 to 15 spines from lower jaw to anus.
     It is interesting to note that this species has earlier been recorded from Indian coast by Day (1888) from Gulf of Mannar as Diodon maculatus Günther (a junior synonym), by Rao et al (2000) from Andaman Islands and by Leis (2006) from Lakshadweep, i.e. from three major coral-reef areas of India. The recent finding forms the first record of this species from north-eastern coast of India, where coral-reef is completely non-existent.

S. Kar, S.S. Mishra and R.P. Barman
Marine Fish Section, F.P. Spirit Building,
Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata- 700016

References
Day, F. 1888. The fishes of India, being a Natural History of the fishes known to inhabit the seas and freshwater of India, Burma and Ceylon. London. Suppl.: 779-816, 7 figs.
Leis, J. M., 2006. Nomenclature and distribution of the species of the porcupine fish family Diodontidae (Pisces, Teleostei). Mem. Mus. Victoria, 63 (1): 77-90.
Rao, D.V., Kamla Devi and Rajan, P.T., 2000. An account of ichthyofauna of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bay of Bengal. Rec. zool. Surv. India, Occ. Paper No. 178: 1-434.