Figure 286.— Diodon holocanthus 

 lateral view of pectoral girdle, 

 composite based 



specimens, 12.3-124 mm SL, Gulf 

 of Mexico and Caribbean. 



Figure 2H7.— Diodon holocanthus: 

 lateral view of caudal fin supporting 

 structures, composite based on several 

 specimens, 12.3-124 mm SL, Gulf of 

 Mexico and Caribbean. 



genera in each for those species which have most of the 

 spines three rooted and nonerectile, differing in whether 

 the few erectile spines are behind the pectoral fin or on 

 the head. This seems too fine a splitting, especially on 

 the basis of one character. The division of Chilomyc- 

 terus by Fraser-Brunner into two subgenera was on the 

 basis of having two spines above the eye, one on the mid- 

 dle of the forehead, and a nasal tube with two nostrils 

 (Cyclichthys for antennatus, antillarum, echinatus, orbi- 

 cularis, schoepfi, spinosus) versus three spines above the 

 eye, none on the forehead and "nasal papilla adpressed, 



division between nostrils feeble, easily broken" (Chilo- 

 mycterus for affinis, atinga, tigrinus = reticulatus, and 

 calif orniensis, a synonym oi affinis). 



As discussed subsequently, the nasal differences 

 between the subgenera Cyclichthys and Chilomycterus 

 are valid, as modified, and those species with an open 

 pitted cup do lack a spine in the middle of the forehead 

 while those with two nostrils always have a spine there. 

 The number of spines above the eye is not consistently 

 different between the two groups, and much depends on 

 how one interprets the position of the third spine in the 



