eastern cape scuba diving
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| Scientific name: |
Arothron hispidus |
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| Common name: |
Whitespotted Puffer |
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| Taxonomy |
| Phyulm |
Sub Phylum |
Class |
Sub Class |
Order |
Sub Order |
Family |
Sub Family |
Genus |
Species |
| Chordata |
Vertebrata |
Actinopterygii |
Actinopterygii |
Tetraodontiformes |
Tetraodontoidei |
Tetraodontidae |
Tetraodontinae |
Arothron |
Arothron hispidus |
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Short Description:
The body is generally greenish-brown in color, the back, sides and caudal fin profusely speckled with white spots, and the belly marked with white bars. A single bent lateral line. Body with small spines except around snout and caudal peduncle. Each nostril with two fleshy solid tentacles. Restricted gill opening.
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Identification
features: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 10 - 11 |
| Size: |
500mm |
| Behaviour: |
Usually solitary and territorial on sandy to rubble areas |
| Diet: |
Feed on fleshy, calcareous, or coralline algae, detritus, mollusks, tunicates, sponges, corals, zoanthid anemones, crabs, tube worms and echinoderms |
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Distribution::
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Indo-Pacific : Red Sea and East Africa |
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Habitat:
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Inhabit outer reef slopes , inner reef flats and lagoons. Juveniles common in weedy areas of estuaries . Also found in coastal bays and estuaries, usually near rocky reef or on sand-stretches between reefs with low algae-rubble , or in shallow with sparse seagrass growth |
| Depth: |
3-50m |
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Reference:
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| Similar Species: |
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Database Statistics
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eastern cape scuba diving
