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Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) >
Tetraodontidae (Puffers)
Etymology: Canthigaster: Greek, kanthos = the outer or inner corner of the eye, where the lids meet, 1646 + Greek, gaster = stomach (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 16 m (Ref. 33390). Tropical; 30°N - 30°S
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4919)
Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Galapagos Islands, north to southern Japan and Hawaii, south to the Great Barrier Reef and the Society Islands.
Inhabit shallow water, often subjected to surge. Juveniles secretive and remain in holes of outer reef flat and reef margin (Ref. 37816). Adults on shallow reef flats in high energy zones to about 10 meters depth. Juveniles among small boulders (Ref. 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feed mainly on algae, but also takes polychaetes, sea urchins, brittle stars, mollusks, tunicates, corals, crustaceans and sponges.
Smith, M.M. and P.C. Heemstra, 1986. Tetraodontidae. p. 894-903. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02668 (-0.14926 - 0.20262), b=2.90643 (2.81306 - 2.99981), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 2.9 ±0.3 se; Based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (18 of 100) .
Price category (Ref.
80766):
.