Marbled Puffer: Facts & Habitat

About Marbled Puffer

Sphoeroides dorsalis, known as the marbled puffer, is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Western Atlantic, where it ranges from North Carolina to Suriname and occurs at a depth of 18 to 100 m (59 to 328 ft). It is a demersal oviparous species found over soft bottoms that reaches 20 cm (7.9 inches) in total length.

NativeSalt8 states

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

Range

Where it lives

46.3%of mapped records

Share of 218 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 8 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in the sea.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Tetraodontidae
Genus: Sphoeroides
Species: Sphoeroides dorsalis
ITIS TSN: 173294
WoRMS AphiaID: 275274
GBIF key: 2407870
Outside the US: ITIS also files it in Caribbean Territories, Mexico.

Common questions about Marbled Puffer

What is the scientific name of Marbled Puffer?

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

Does Marbled Puffer live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in the sea.

Where has Marbled Puffer been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 8 states, with the most records in Florida, North Carolina, Texas. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives