CANTHIGASTER LEOPARDA - (LUBBOCK & ALLEN, 1979)
Picture courtesy of: Alain Daoulas
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Tetraodontiformes (Order) > Tetraodontoidei (Suborder) > Tetraodontidae (Family) > Canthigaster (Genus)
Canthigaster Léopard, Leopard toby, Leopard pufferfish, Leopard sharp nose puffer, Leopard sharpnose puffer, Leoparden-Spitzkopfkugelfisch, 豹紋扁背魨,
Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal soft rays: 9; Depth of body at origin of anal fin: 2.2-2.7 in SL; Head length: 2.3-2.5 in SL; Snout length: 1.6-1.7 in head length; Caudal peduncle depth: 2.0-2.7 in head length; Slightly rounded caudal fin. Max. length: 7.5 cm SL. Depth range: 30 - 100 m.
Color
Topside of face and body are yellow with blue lines; The sides and underside are white with blue spots; The sides with several clusters of brown blotches. Fins clear, except tail. Some individuals lack the blue spots on the lower part of the head and sides.
Etymology
The origine of the word Canthigaster is not given by William John Swainson (1789-1855) in the "The natural history and classification of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles, or monocardian animals - 1839".
Canthigaster:
1) from Greek, kantheliai, kanthiai = large or big basket + from Greek, gaster = stomach, belly.
2) from Latin, canthus origin a Greek word, kanthos = the outer or inner corner of the eye, where the lids meet + from Greek, gaster = stomach, belly.
3) Canthus or Canthos was an Argonauts. The Argonauts were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War, around 1300 BCE, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, Argo, named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts" literally means "Argo sailors".
leoparda: from Latin, leo = lion + from Latin, pardus = panther. Referring to leopard-like ventral blotches on body.
Original description: Canthigaster leoparda Lubbock & Allen, 1979 - Type locality: Caves on vertical drop-off, 1/2 kilometer north of Caubyan Daku Island, Camotes Sea, Philippines, depth 35-40 meters.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Christmas Island and north Queensland (Australia), Indonesia, Philippines, Guam and New Caledonia.
Biology
Lives in deep water habitats, usually along deep drop-offs or in cave. Solitary or in pairs. Oviparous. Aquarium fish (rare). Poisonous.
Similar species
Canthigaster tyleri (Allen & Randall, 1977) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Seychelles, Comoro Islands, La Réunion (France) and Mauritius (western Mascarenes), Maldives and Chagos Archipelago east to Christmas Island (eastern Indian Ocean) and Banda Sea (Indonesia).
Last update: 23, March 2023
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Tetraodontiformes (Order) > Tetraodontoidei (Suborder) > Tetraodontidae (Family) > Canthigaster (Genus)
Canthigaster Léopard, Leopard toby, Leopard pufferfish, Leopard sharp nose puffer, Leopard sharpnose puffer, Leoparden-Spitzkopfkugelfisch, 豹紋扁背魨,
Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal soft rays: 9; Depth of body at origin of anal fin: 2.2-2.7 in SL; Head length: 2.3-2.5 in SL; Snout length: 1.6-1.7 in head length; Caudal peduncle depth: 2.0-2.7 in head length; Slightly rounded caudal fin. Max. length: 7.5 cm SL. Depth range: 30 - 100 m.
Color
Topside of face and body are yellow with blue lines; The sides and underside are white with blue spots; The sides with several clusters of brown blotches. Fins clear, except tail. Some individuals lack the blue spots on the lower part of the head and sides.
Etymology
The origine of the word Canthigaster is not given by William John Swainson (1789-1855) in the "The natural history and classification of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles, or monocardian animals - 1839".
Canthigaster:
1) from Greek, kantheliai, kanthiai = large or big basket + from Greek, gaster = stomach, belly.
2) from Latin, canthus origin a Greek word, kanthos = the outer or inner corner of the eye, where the lids meet + from Greek, gaster = stomach, belly.
3) Canthus or Canthos was an Argonauts. The Argonauts were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War, around 1300 BCE, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, Argo, named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts" literally means "Argo sailors".
leoparda: from Latin, leo = lion + from Latin, pardus = panther. Referring to leopard-like ventral blotches on body.
Original description: Canthigaster leoparda Lubbock & Allen, 1979 - Type locality: Caves on vertical drop-off, 1/2 kilometer north of Caubyan Daku Island, Camotes Sea, Philippines, depth 35-40 meters.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Christmas Island and north Queensland (Australia), Indonesia, Philippines, Guam and New Caledonia.
Biology
Lives in deep water habitats, usually along deep drop-offs or in cave. Solitary or in pairs. Oviparous. Aquarium fish (rare). Poisonous.
Similar species
Canthigaster tyleri (Allen & Randall, 1977) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Seychelles, Comoro Islands, La Réunion (France) and Mauritius (western Mascarenes), Maldives and Chagos Archipelago east to Christmas Island (eastern Indian Ocean) and Banda Sea (Indonesia).
Last update: 23, March 2023