False-eye Puffer, Canthigaster papua (Bleeker, 1848)

ANIMAL SPECIES:False-eye Puffer, Canthigaster papua (Bleeker, 1848)

The False-eye Puffer get's it's name from the black spot at the base of the dorsal fin which looks like an eye.

Alternative Name/s

Sharpnosed Puffer, Solander's Toby, or Blue-spotted Toby.

Identification

The False-eye Puffer can be recognised by its colouration. It is brown to orange with numerous small blue-green spots on the body and caudal fin. Black-edged blue-green lines radiate from the eye and a black spot is present below the dorsal fin.

Size range

The species grows to 9 cm in length.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the offshore reefs of north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of False-eye Puffer specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:: papua
Genus:: Canthigaster
Family:: Tetraodontidae
Class:: Actinopterygii
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292. (as Canthigaster solandri) Allen, G.R. & J.E.
Randall. 1977. Review of the Sharpnose Pufferfishes (Subfamily Canthigasterinae) of the Indo-Pacific. Records of the Australian Museum. 30(17): 475-517.
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Last Updated: 1 June 2009

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