Lophodiodon Fraser-Brunner, 1943

Leis, Jeffrey M., 2006, Nomenclature and distribution of the species of the porcupinefish family Diodontidae (Pisces, Teleostei), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63 (1), pp. 77-90 : 87

Lophodiodon Fraser-Brunner, 1943

Lophodiodon Fraser-Brunner (type species Diodon calori

Bianconi)

Diagnosis. Spines on head and belly erectile, those on back and sides fixed; fixed spines with 3 bases, erectile spines with 2 bases; spines short to medium; anteriorly-pointing spines on snout; 9 C rays; a small supraorbital tentacle in adults; nostril in adult a short tube with 2 openings; no spines wholly on dorsal surface of caudal peduncle, but large spines extend over the peduncle nearly to the caudal-fin base; no fins spotted; no large blotches on dorsal surface, but bars present laterally.

The type species of this genus is D. calori Bianconi (1854, ref. 17949). The sole species in this genus has most spines on head and belly erectile, and those on back and sides fixed. This genus is similar in many ways to Dicotylichthys , differing primarily in that the nasal organ in Dicotylichthys is bifid, whereas in Lophodiodon , it is a hollow tube with two distinct nostrils. There is reason to expect that two genera may eventually be considered to be synonymous.