Coral Butterfly

Maximum longevity: 5.9 years (captivity)

Diagnosis: skin scaleless, but head and body covered with small spines except on snout and caudal region; teeth form beak-like structure consisting in each jaw of two pieces fused on midline and covered by layer of enamel; nostrils consisting of two fleshy lobes placed in front of folded collar surrounding the opening; two pairs of non-perforated nasal tentacles; dorsal and anal fins short and placed far back on body; pectoral fins well developed; no pelvic fins; caudal fin rounded, its length comprised 3 times in SL; longitudinal stripes along sides of body in adults; black-rimmed red ocelli (eyespots) present in juveniles (Ref. 57417). Description: body stocky; caudal fin about as long as head; gill rakers short and aligned in two rows, numbering 10-16 on first gill arch (Ref. 57417).Colouration: adults bright yellow in life, with usually 7 longitudinal black stripes on sides of body and caudal peduncle; belly white and fins yellowish, caudal fin bright yellow to orange; young individuals have different colour pattern, with several rows of black-rimmed brick-red ocelli on the posterior region; these ocelli become elongate with growth, coalescing and forming longitudinal stripes of adults (Ref. 57417).

Heterobothrium Infection 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Dorsal spines (total): 2 - 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 7 - 8

Found in large rivers (Ref. 2829), open water, weed beds and vegetated fringes. Feeds on mollusks.

Found in large rivers (Ref. 2829), open water, weed beds and vegetated fringes; feeds on mollusks (Ref. 28714). Ventral pocket communicates gill chamber with oesophagus, allowing fish to inflate its body like a ball (Ref. 57417).

fisheries: of no interest

The fahaka pufferfish (from Arabic: فهقة), also known as the Nile puffer, globe fish, lineatus puffer (Tetraodon lineatus), is a tropical freshwater pufferfish found in the upper Nile, Chad, Senegal, Gambia, Geba, Volta and Turkana basins in West, Northeast and East Africa.