| Tetraodontidae (Puffers), subfamily: Canthigasterinae |
| 10.1 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
|
reef-associated; marine; depth range 10 - 80 m |
| Pacific: Japan to Australia, east to the Marshall Islands and Tonga; with records from Western Australia, from Exmouth Gulf northwards. |
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Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal soft rays: 9-10. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 9-11 (usually 10, rarely 11); A 9-10 (usually 9); pectoral rays 15-18 (modally 16 in the North Pacific and 17 in the South Pacific); gill rakers 7-9; body depth between origins of dorsal and anal fins 3.0-3.3 in SL; head length (HL) 2.3-2.5 in SL; interorbital width 3.75-4.4 in HL; gill opening 4.8-5.55 in HL; origin of anal fin below or posterior to rear base of dorsal fin, the preanal length 1.25-1.35 in SL; longest dorsal ray 2.4-2.9 in HL; preserved colour pale grey to pale tan with 3 saddle-like, dark brown bars on body, similar to C. coronata, the edges of bars with close-set, small, pale-edged dark spots or short lines, irregularly alternating with unpigmented pale spots or lines; ventral part of body with or without small pale spots or pale-edged dark spots; across posterior interorbital and anterior occiput is a broad dark brown band; below base of pectoral fin is a dark brown spot; from chin to below gill opening, a narrow curved pale band edged in small dark spots; around eye is a pale area with radiating dark brown lines (except adjacent interorbital band); on head and abdomen is a midventral dark brown line varying from faint to conspicuous; lips pale, usually rimmed by a dusky band; fins pale grey, the upper and lower edges of caudal fin with or without a broad dark marginal band (Ref. 83660). |
| Occurs in sheltered habitat, often on open sand and rubble bottom near reefs; but appears to be far less common than C. coronata (Ref. 83660). Solitary (Ref. 90102). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 June 2011 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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Recorded from Negros and Siquijor (Ref. 83660), Davao Gulf (Ref. 106380) and Nasugbu, Batangas (Ref. 107853) as C. coronata which most probably are C. axiologus (Ref. 83660). Museum records from Negros (SU 68574, 2: 76-77 mm) and Siquijor (USNM 227245, 2:67-68 mm) (Ref. 83660). Also Ref. 5439, 53416. |
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