The checkered puffer is a modest-sized fish whose body is dotted with a characteristic checkerboard or hexagonal pattern. As its name suggests, its body has a round, laterally compressed shape which it inflates like a balloon, absorbing water when it feels threatened to deter predators.

The checkered puffer frequents the warm, shallow waters of the western Atlantic ocean, from the Atlantic coast of the USA to the Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea, particularly in the reefs around numerous islands such as the Bahamas, and as far north as South America.

According to a 2010 study, the reticulated balloonfish was the second most abundant fish species in the waters of the Ría Lagartos estuary in Mexico's Yucatan province.

The checkered puffer is found in seagrass beds and coral reefs, but also in the brackish waters of estuaries. They contribute to the biodiversity of these ecosystems and play a role in maintaining their health.

The checkered puffer has the ability to vary its coloration and pattern with darker or lighter shades depending on its mood, environment or activity.

Don't be fooled by appearances: even though the reticulated balloonfish may appear clumsy in its movements, it is nonetheless an agile swimmer equipped with powerful pectoral fins for propulsion.

Like other balloonfish species, the checkered puffer contains a powerful toxin called tetrodotoxin, mainly in its internal organs, which serves as a defense mechanism to deter potential predators from eating it.

The checkered puffer is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The checkered puffer appears in the IUCN Red List since 2014 within the category Least Concern !