https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/6427211687/in/album-72157652559028013/

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Order: Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes)
Family: Tetraodontidae (Puffers)

Genus/species: Canthigaster valentini

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: C. valentini has a white body with four distinct black stripes on the upper half. The body is also covered with brownish-orange dots. It has yellow fins, and blue striping running along the back. It lacks pelvic fins, but has learned to use the pectoral fins to move about the aquarium.
Males have blue-green lines radiating from the back of the eyes. They are also larger than females and may also have a light gray patch in front of the anus.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Occurs throughout the tropical, marine Indo-Pacific where it is common and locally abundant. It inhabits a wide range of coral reef and seagrass habitats at depths ranging from 1 to 55 metres.

DIET IN THE WILD: Forages on the benthos, feeding mainly on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

REMARKS: They are capable of inflating their abdomens with water when frightened or disturbed.
They can produce toxins such as tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin in the skin, gonads, and liver. Try not to use a net when handling this fish since it’s flesh is poisonous.The degree of toxicity varies by species, and also according to geographic area and season.

Color of Life:Color Communicates. The Mimic filefish (not shown here) evades predators by mimicking the Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster valentini).

The Mimic filefish can be distinguished from the Sharpnose Puffer (highly poisonous) by comparing their dorsal fins. The Mimic filefish has two dorsal fins, while the Sharpnose Puffer above has only one. – See more at: australianmuseum.net.au/blacksaddle-filefish-paraluteres-…

LOCATION:  COLOR CLUSTER   

 

References

California Academy of Sciences Color on the Reef exhibit 2015

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/6427211687/in/album-72157652559028013/

Ron’s WordPress shortlink:  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-iz

Australian Museum  australianmuseum.net.au/blacksaddle-toby-canthigaster-val…

Encyclopedia of life  eol.org/pages/225023/overview