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Diagnostic Description

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Side with two prominent dark bars extending to belly (Ref. 559).Description: Characterized further by generally white body color with light brown spots and four dark brown to black saddles, middle two extending onto belly; depth of body at origin of anal fin 2.5-2.9 in SL; head length 2.2-2.5 in SL; snout length 1.4-1.6 in head length; caudal peduncle depth 2.2-2.8 in head length; slightly rounded caudal fin (Ref. 90102).
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Recorder
Cristina V. Garilao
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Life Cycle

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Oviparous (Ref. 205). Social and mating systems of this species are based upon female territoriality where polygyny results from males defending females occupying a certain territory (female-defense polygyny) (Ref. 55082). All sexually mature females are territorial females (Ref. 55082). Neither parent guards the eggs which are laid in a nest located in the female's territory (Ref. 46142).During breeding, territorial females perform the 'caudal flexing with swollen abdomen display' to signal courtship and readiness to spawn. The male acknowledges with no courtship or color displays but rather by visiting the sites frequently. The territorial female then begins pecking at the substrate in preparation for egg laying. The female initiates the spawning event by pressing her abdomen into the prepared site. The territorial male quickly lays his body across her caudal peduncle and both remained in this position for 5-10 sec. The male swims away after leaving the female beating her anal fin rapidly over the nest site to ensure fertilization of the eggs and to push the eggs deep into the algal substrate (Ref. 46142). All territorial males spawn with territorial females, depriving the bachelor males of the chance to copulate which nevertheless don't interfere with the spawning between the territorial male and females (Ref. 46142).
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Susan M. Luna
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Morphology

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Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 9
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Cristina V. Garilao
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Trophic Strategy

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Found among coral heads and rocks of subtidal lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 4919, 5503). Common on coastal reefs at various depths. Mimic filefish, males are territorial and are often seen fighting (Ref. 48637). Feeds mainly on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae. Forms shoals (10-100 or more) often with the filefish, Paraluteres prionurus (about 5% of shoal) mimicking C. valentini to protect it from predators (Ref. 4919, 5503). Territorial and haremic; males spawn with a different female each day (Ref. 9710). One or more territories are occupied and defended each by a female where a single large male stands guard (Ref. 55082).
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Pascualita Sa-a
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Biology

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Found among coral heads and rocks of subtidal lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 4919, 5503). Common on coastal reefs at various depths. Mimic filefish, males are territorial and are often seen fighting (Ref. 48637). Feed mainly on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae. Form shoals (10-100 or more) often with the filefish, Paraluteres prionurus (about 5% of shoal) mimicking C. valentini to protect it from predators (Ref. 4919, 5503). Territorial and haremic; males spawn with a different female each day (Ref. 9710). One or more territories are occupied and defended each by a female where a single large male stands guard (Ref. 55082). All sexually mature females are territorial females (Ref. 55082). Demersal spawner (Ref. 35298).
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Estelita Emily Capuli
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Importance

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aquarium: commercial
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Comprehensive Description

provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology
Canthigaster valentini (Bleeker)

The ventral portion of A 2β is expanded ventrally to almost completely cover A 3 laterally. The obliquus posterior is well developed, with some slight intermingling of fibers with adductor V at its site of attachment to ceratobranchial 5. The hypochordal longitudinalis inserts on rays D 2–4.

Myological Descriptions of Representative Diodontids

In his review, Fraser-Brunner (1943) recognized three genera and about 18 species of diodontids (see Figure 10 for body outline). Representatives of two of these genera have been dissected. They are much like the tetraodontids, but covered with spines. The head is broad and flat, and their inflation capabilities often impressive. The jaws are even better developed than in the two preceding families, and the diet is primarily composed of gastropods, hermit crabs, and echinoids. They occur mainly in coral reef and sandy bay environments, and swim almost exclusively by undulations of the well-developed pectoral fins.

Diodontids are usually considered to be closely related to tetraodontids, although they have occasionally been allied with the Molidae.
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bibliographic citation
Winterbottom, Richard. 1974. "The familial phylogeny of the Tetraodontiformes (Acanthopterygii: Pisces) as evidenced by their comparative myology." Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 1-201. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.155

分布

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
分布於印度-太平洋區,西起紅海、非洲東岸,東至土木土群島,北至日本南部,南至羅得豪島。台灣四周海域均見。
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臺灣魚類資料庫
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利用

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具毒性之小型魚類,不具食用價值,體色豔麗,常被當做觀賞用魚。
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描述

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體卵圓形,側扁而高,眼後枕骨區突出,尾柄短而高。體側下緣平坦,無縱行皮褶,腹部中央自口部下方至肛門前方則有一稜褶。吻較長而尖;鼻孔單一,不甚明顯。背鰭近似圓刀形,位於體後部,具軟條9;臀鰭與其同形,具軟條9;無腹鰭;胸鰭寬短,上方鰭條較長,近呈方形,下方後緣稍圓形;尾鰭寬大,呈圓弧形。體上半部白至淡黃色,下半部白色;體具與角尖鼻魨(/C. coronata/)略同之四條垂直黑棕色帶,但本種中間二條向下延伸至腹部,超越胸鰭基甚多; 眼四周有極不明顯的放射狀細藍紋;體側具許多大小不一黃褐色橢圓形或圓形斑。除尾鰭淡黃色外,餘鰭基底黃色,鰭淡色。
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棲地

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暖水性小型魚類,主要棲息於珊瑚礁及岩礁等淺水靜水域,單獨或成群活動,以藻類、有孔蟲、海綿、苔蘚虫、小型腹足類和魚類等為食。單棘魨科之副革單棘魨(/Paraluteres prionurus/)常模倣其形態及體色,藉以逃避敵人。具有領域性及行一夫多妻制,卵產在海藻叢上。
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Valentin's sharpnose puffer

provided by wikipedia EN

Valentin's sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster valentini), also known as the saddled puffer or black saddled toby, is a demersal marine fish belonging to the family Tetraodontidae. The saddled puffer is a small sized fish which grows up to 11 cm.[1] It is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean, Red Sea included, and until the oceanic islands of the Pacific Ocean.[2] It inhabits rocky and coral reefs, lagoons and external reef until 55 m.[3] Canthigaster valentini has a diurnal activity.

Canthigaster valentini has four distinct black stripes (saddles) on its back. The head is blue-grey and the main body is white speckled with blue-grey spots. The tail and fins show hints of yellow and there is a rainbow streak of color behind the eyes. It is omnivorous, it feeds on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae.[4]

Valentinni's sharpnose puffers are highly poisonous to eat. They are occasionally found in schools together with Paraluteres prionurus, a non-toxic filefish which has evolved to mimic the very toxic C. valentini for protection against predators.

Etyomology

The puffer was named in honor of Dutch naturalist François Valentijn (1666-1727).[5]

Social groupings

Canthigaster valentini organize themselves into harems dominated by one mature territorial male and containing one or more territorial females. There may also be some immature individuals of either sex present in the dominant male's territory. Each female has her own respective domain within the territorial male's. Bachelor males, males who are sexually mature but do not inhabit a territory of their own with females, are either wanderers or live near another social group. These social groups, though male dominated, were found to be defined by the female fish living within the male's territory. Whenever a mature female dies or is in any way removed, the mature male's territory shrinks to include only the domains of the living females. When a male is removed, females remain territorial, though a bachelor male will most likely takeover any territory left undefended by a territorial male.[6]

Reproductive behavior

Canthigaster valentini are gonochoric, approximately half of the population being male and the other half being female, distinguishable by external characteristics.[7] Dominant males breed exclusively with the females in their territory and maintain territorial boundaries.[6] C. valentini's eggs are demersal, attached to algae on coral rubble. Females can lay anywhere between fifteen and over 800 eggs at a time every four to ten days depending on the season.[7] Spawning generally occurs between 8:00AM and 3:30PM year-round. After eggs are laid, no parental care is required because eggs are unpalatable and, thus, reasonably safe from predation. It was found that predatory fish would rarely attempt to eat the eggs of C. valentini and when eggs were ingested they would be quickly egested. This allows females and males to maintain their territory without the necessity of protecting their eggs as well.[8]

Eggs and larvae

Canthigaster valentini eggs range in size between 0.68 and 0.72 mm in diameter, making them some of the smallest in the family Tetraodontidae. Eggs are spherical with nine radial layers, the outermost layer possessing strong adhesive properties. After incubating for between three and five days, a relatively long incubation period for tetraodontids, C. valentini hatch around sunset at which point larvae measure between 1.30 and 1.40 mm standard length. C. valenitini's most rapid growth occurs in the 24 hours after they are hatched.[9] Growth rate then declines as fish get larger.[7] Upon hatching, larvae begin a pelagic phase that lasts between 64 and 113 days. After settlement on reefs, C. valentini are considered juveniles, having a much more robust body shape.[9]

Toxicity

The toxin found in C. valentini as well as in other pufferfish species is one of the most potent naturally occurring toxins.[10] It is a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin present in the skin and other tissues of C. valentini. It is lethal to many species of fish, thus making C. valentini unpalatable to predators.[11] Threat of predation for adults as well as larvae and eggs is low due to unpalatability, causing reproductive behaviors to differ from other species according to the reduced predation risk.[7] Their toxic skin makes C. valentini a model for Batesian mimicry, specifically by the filefish species Paraluetes prionurus which is similarly colored, allowing it to benefit from C. valentini’s low risk of predation.[11]

Inflation response

Besides their toxicity, C. valentini have other mechanisms for evading predation. Pufferfish, as their name indicates, have the ability to ‘puff’ themselves up in order to intimidate predators. This is accomplished by filling a distensible stomach with water through rapid gulping which can increase their size to three or four times their original volume. Pufferfish must be capable of maintaining inflation for up to ten minutes in order to outlast the attention span of their predators. It was once thought that pufferfish held their breath in order to display this behavior. A 2014 study, however, found that oxygen consumption actually increases while fish are inflated. It had been previously understood that respiration through the gills ceased during inflation while cutaneous respiration increased, but this study found that cutaneous respiration is nearly nonexistent, and oxygen intake through the gills is almost five times higher than normal while C. valentini is inflated.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Valentini Puffer - Canthigaster valentini - Details - Encyclopedia of Life". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  2. ^ "Valentini Puffer - Canthigaster valentini - Details - Encyclopedia of Life". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  3. ^ Lieske & Myers,Coral reef fishes,Princeton University Press, 2009, ISBN 9780691089959
  4. ^ "Valentini Puffer - Canthigaster valentini - Details - Encyclopedia of Life". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  5. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order TETRAODONTIFORMES: Families TRIODONTIDAE, TRIACANTHIDAE, TRIACANTHODIDAE, DIODONTIDAE and TETRAODONTIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b Gladstone, W. (1987-10-01). "Role of female territoriality in social and mating systems of Canthigaster valentini (Pisces: Tetraodontidae): evidence from field experiments". Marine Biology. 96 (2): 185–191. doi:10.1007/BF00427018. ISSN 0025-3162. S2CID 83802502.
  7. ^ a b c d Gladstone, William; Westoby, Mark (1988-03-01). "Growth and reproduction in Canthigaster valentini (Pisces, Tetraodontidae): a comparison of a toxic reef fish with other reef fishes". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 21 (3): 207–221. doi:10.1007/BF00004864. ISSN 0378-1909. S2CID 40102737.
  8. ^ Gladstone, William (1987). "The Eggs and Larvae of the Sharpnose Pufferfish Canthigaster valentini (Pisces: Tetraodontidae) Are Unpalatable to Other Reef Fishes". Copeia. 1987 (1): 227–230. doi:10.2307/1446061. JSTOR 1446061.
  9. ^ a b Stroud, Gregory J.; Goldman, Barry; Gladstone, William (1989-09-01). "Larval development, growth and age determination in the sharpnose pufferfishCanthigaster valentini (Teleostei: Tetraodontidae)". Japanese Journal of Ichthyology. 36 (3): 327–337. doi:10.1007/BF02905617. ISSN 0021-5090. S2CID 198500729.
  10. ^ a b Evelyn McGee, Georgia; Clark, Timothy (2014-12-01). "All puffed out: Do pufferfish hold their breath while inflated?". Biology Letters. 10 (12): 20140823. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0823. PMC 4298192. PMID 25472941.
  11. ^ a b Caley, M. Julian; Schluter, Dolph (2003-04-07). "Predators favour mimicry in a tropical reef fish". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 270 (1516): 667–672. doi:10.1098/rspb.2002.2263. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 1691296. PMID 12713739.

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Valentin's sharpnose puffer: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Valentin's sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster valentini), also known as the saddled puffer or black saddled toby, is a demersal marine fish belonging to the family Tetraodontidae. The saddled puffer is a small sized fish which grows up to 11 cm. It is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean, Red Sea included, and until the oceanic islands of the Pacific Ocean. It inhabits rocky and coral reefs, lagoons and external reef until 55 m. Canthigaster valentini has a diurnal activity.

Canthigaster valentini has four distinct black stripes (saddles) on its back. The head is blue-grey and the main body is white speckled with blue-grey spots. The tail and fins show hints of yellow and there is a rainbow streak of color behind the eyes. It is omnivorous, it feeds on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae.

Valentinni's sharpnose puffers are highly poisonous to eat. They are occasionally found in schools together with Paraluteres prionurus, a non-toxic filefish which has evolved to mimic the very toxic C. valentini for protection against predators.

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Description

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Found among coral heads and rocks of subtidal lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of 55 m or more. Feeds mainly on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae. Forms shoals (10-100 or more) which often contains the filefish, @Paraluteres prionurus@ (about 5% of shoal) mimicking @C. valentini@ to protect it from predators (Refs. 4919 and 5503).

Reference

Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2023). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (02/2023).

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