About Chelonodon patoca (Hamilton, 1822)
This species, currently classified as Chelonodon patoca, was previously known as Chelonodontops patoca. It has multiple common names: milk-spotted pufferfish, milkspotted puffer, milkspotted toadfish, Gangetic blow fish, Gangetic pufferfish, and marbled toad. It is a pufferfish species belonging to the family Tetraodontidae, and is native to the Indo-Pacific. Its distribution spans from East Africa to the Western Pacific, ranging as far north as Korea and as far south as northern Australia. It is a tropical species that lives in coastal waters, lagoons, estuaries, and rivers. While it can enter fresh water, it is never found more than a few kilometres away from the sea. It is often found in schools, which sometimes enter freshwater streams. It typically occurs at depths between 4 and 60 m (13 to 197 ft), and can grow up to 38 cm (15 in) in standard length. Although the species is poisonous, it is reportedly eaten as a delicacy in Japan.
