Hawaiian White Spotted Toby

Description:

Pufferfish endemic to Hawaii. Sharp nosed brown pufferfish with white spots. While observing a Whitespotted Toby under ultraviolet light, University of Hawai`i researcher Jill P. Zamzow discovered these fish were covered in a mucus that apparently blocked the ultraviolet light from her lamp. She surmised, UV-absorbing compounds in the mucus probably protect the fish from the sun’s damaging radiation. The UV-blocking capability of Whitespotted Toby mucus turned out to be equal in strength to SPF 15 human sunscreen. Later she determined that over 150 species of Indo-Pacific reef fish have this natural sunscreen.