Crowned Puffer, Canthigaster coronata (Vaillant & Sauvage, 1875)

Scientific name: Canthigaster coronata
Alternative name/s:
Also known as a Three-barred Toby.
  • Updated
    21/01/19
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Crowned Puffer Click to enlarge image
A Crowned Puffer at a depth of 15 m, Flinders Reef, southern Queensland, May 2002. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Canthigaster
    Species
    coronata
    Family
    Tetraodontidae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The Crowned Puffer grows to 14 cm in length.

Introduction

It occurs in tropical (and some temperate) marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific feeding on a wide variety of benthic animals and algae.

Identification

The Crowned Puffer is white with a brown saddle dorsally behind the eye and three saddles on the body. It resembles the Saddled Puffer but has orange spots and blue makings on the margins of the saddles.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical (and some temperate) marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north, and south to the New South Wales south coast.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Feeding and diet

Eats a wide variety of benthic animals and algae.

References

  1. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  2. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.