Spotted Porcupinefish
Seen past the published northern limit of its range.
Sightings
2026 season, every one sourced
Central California
- Oct 15, 2026Pebble BeachSource: iNaturalist 408603714
Photos
From California this season
No photos yet. If you photographed this animal in California this season, post it to the Coastal Bulletin.
Home Range
Where it normally lives
San Diego south to Chile.
Range source: FishBase
This porcupinefish lives in tropical seas around the world. In the eastern Pacific, its published range starts at San Diego and runs south to Chile and the Galapagos Islands. It favors reefs from about 10 to 65 feet deep.
Identification
The spotted porcupinefish is a heavy-bodied fish covered in long, sharp spines that lie flat until it puffs itself up. About 20 spines run in a rough line from the snout to the dorsal fin. Its body is grayish tan with small black spots and no large dark patches, and its white belly is ringed in gray. Its teeth are fused into a single beak-like plate in each jaw. It can reach about 36 inches, though most are around 16.
Natural History
Spotted porcupinefish are often found in caves and holes on shallow reefs. They live alone and are active at night, eating hard-shelled animals such as sea urchins, snails and hermit crabs. Young porcupinefish live in open water until they reach about 8 inches, while adults live on the bottom.
In California
On October 15, 2026, a spotted porcupinefish was photographed at Pebble Beach in Monterey County, far north of the species' published limit at San Diego.
Taxonomy
Rarity
Rarity in the compendium is how often the animal has been reported on the California coast this season, not how rare it is where it normally lives. It moves as new sightings come in.