Saltwater Pufferfish:
1. Indo-Pacific Region: This region includes the waters around the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is home to a wide variety of pufferfish species, including the popular marine aquarium species such as the valentini and red eye puffers.
2. Atlantic Ocean: Pufferfish are also found in the Atlantic Ocean, both in the western and eastern basins. The species found in the Atlantic include the northern puffer (Sphoeroides maculatus), the striped burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfii), and the Atlantic sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster rostrata).
3. Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico: These warm waters host various pufferfish species, including the checkered puffer (Sphoeroides testudineus), the Caribbean puffer (Canthigaster rostrata), and the porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix).
4. Mediterranean Sea: Several pufferfish species are found in the Mediterranean Sea, including the striped puffer (Lagocephalus sceleratus), the spotted puffer (Lagocephalus lagocephalus), and the silverstripe blaasop (Lagocephalus spadiceus).
Brackish and Freshwater Pufferfish:
In addition to the saltwater species, there are also a number of pufferfish that live in brackish or freshwater habitats. These include:
1. Amazon Basin: The Amazon River basin is home to several species of freshwater pufferfish, such as the red-bellied puffer (Colomesus asellus) and the three-spot puffer (Colomesus psittacus).
2. African Rivers and Lakes: Pufferfish are found in various freshwater bodies in Africa, including the Congo River, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi. Some notable species include the Congo puffer (Tetraodon miurus) and the Lake Tanganyika puffer (Tetraodon schoutedeni).
3. Southeast Asia: Southeast Asian rivers and lakes are also home to pufferfish species. These include the Mekong giant puffer (Tetraodon palembangensis) and the red-eye puffer (Carinotetraodon irrubesco).
It is important to note that some pufferfish species have become invasive in certain regions and can cause ecological imbalances. Responsible aquarium practices and proper disposal of unwanted aquarium species can help prevent the spread of invasive pufferfish.