Distinguished from T. leiurus and from all other Tetraodon by its color: entire dorsolateral surface of body with numerous pale spots uniformly distributed over a dark background. In live specimens observed from the Meklong and Chao Phraya basins, the spots are orange and the background brown or blackish brown. In some freshly preserved specimens from the Mekong basin (Xe Bang Fai) the spots were faintly orange. All adults have numerous spots. In preserved specimens the spots are pale (Ref. 27661).