Chilomycterus is a genus of diodontid tetraodontiform fishes commonly called "burrfish".
Distribution
A majority of Chilomycterus species are found in the Atlantic Ocean, and primarily in the western Atlantic. Only one species, C. reticulatus, is also found in the Indo-Pacific region. The western Atlantic appears to have always been a region of diversity for the genus, as a majority of fossil species have been found there. Only a single indeterminate fossil assigned to this genus is known from the Pacific coast of Panama.
Species
There are currently five recognized species in this genus:
Fossil species
The following fossil species are known:
- â Chilomycterus circumflexus <small>(Leriche</small><small>, 1942)</small> (Middle to Late Miocene of Cuba and Florida & North Carolina, US) (=Diodon circumflexus <small>Leriche, 1942</small>)
- â Chilomycterus dzonotensis <small>Cantalice et al., 2025</small> (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Mexico)
- â Chilomycterus exspectatus <small>Aguilera et al, 2017</small> (Late Miocene of Panama)
- â Chilomycterus ferreirai <small>(Santos</small> <small>& Travassos 1960)</small> (Early Miocene of Brazil & Venezuela)
- â Chilomycterus gatunensis <small>(Toula, 1909)</small> (Late Miocene of Panama)
- â Chilomycterus kugleri <small>(Casier</small><small>, 1958)</small> (Late Miocene of Trinidad)
- â Chilomycterus tyleri <small>Aguilera et al, 2017</small> (Late Miocene of Panama)
- â Chilomycterus vetus <small>(Leidy</small><small>, 1877)</small> (Middle Miocene of Trinidad, Late Miocene of Florida, US)
The former species C. acanthodes from the Miocene of Italy is now placed in Oligodiodon.
References