Canthigaster punctatissima

Spotted sharpnosed puffer
Canthigaster punctatissima
Canthigaster punctatissima, Nicaragua, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Canthigaster punctatissima
Canthigaster punctatissima, Coiba, Panama, Photo: Graham Edgar
Canthigaster punctatissima
Canthigaster punctatissima, Photo: Graham Edgar
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Canthigaster punctatissima
Canthigaster punctatissima
Canthigaster punctatissima

Distribution

Tropical Eastern Pacific


Description

Brown with a dense covering of round white spots over head and body, becoming more dense on lower sides. Eyes green. Hides in protected areas in coral and rocky reefs.


Information

Max Size: 9 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 23.4-30.3°C

Depth: 3-21m

Habitat Generalization Index: 24.33

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Occurrence: Widespread (56.2% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Several (8 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields