Bandtail Puffer: Facts & Habitat

About Bandtail Puffer

The bandtail puffer (Sphoeroides spengleri) is a species in the family Tetraodontidae, or pufferfishes. It can grow to a length of about 30 cm and is common in the Caribbean and observed from Massachusetts, USA in the north to Santa Catarina, Brazil in the south.

NativeSalt Brackish15 states

Biology

The bandtail puffer is usually found on seagrass beds and coral reefs, and mostly close to the bottom, where it finds adequate cover and is less likely to be spotted by predators.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Bandtail puffer (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Range

Where it lives

99.5%of mapped records

Share of 19,581 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 15 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in brackish water and the sea.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Tetraodontidae
Genus: Sphoeroides
Species: Sphoeroides spengleri
ITIS TSN: 173300
WoRMS AphiaID: 158935
GBIF key: 2407829
Outside the US: ITIS also files it in Caribbean Territories, Mexico.

Common questions about Bandtail Puffer

What is the scientific name of Bandtail Puffer?

The scientific name is Sphoeroides spengleri, in the family Tetraodontidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Bandtail Puffer live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in brackish water and the sea.

Where has Bandtail Puffer been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 15 states, with the most records in Florida, Texas, North Carolina. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives