Caribbean Sharpnose Puffer

Canthigaster rostrata is a pufferfish from the Western Central Atlantic. It can be encountered from the coast of South Carolina to Venezuela, including the Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

Description

It grows to a size of 12 cm in length. Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9. Distinguished from all other Atlantic species by a short upper dark longitudinal stripe, presence of few spots on flank and dorsum, and absence of a conspicuous (larger than eye) spot on the dorsum. The upper dark longitudinal stripe extends from caudal-fin dorsal margin to the vertical through dorsal-fin base. Although a horizontal line of dark spots extends anterior to the anterior portion of the horizontal dark stripe in some specimens, and sometimes even surpasses the dorsal fin base, this line of spots never forms a continuous stripe. Also distinguished by the absence of vertically oriented bars on the caudal fin and by the presence of bars on the snout.

Distribution

Western Central Atlantic: South Carolina, USA and Bermuda to Tobago and the Lesser Antilles.

Habitat

Inhabits reefs and marginal habitats such as seagrass beds. Diet consists of seagrass, sponges, crabs and other crustaceans, mollusks, polychaete worms, sea urchins, starfishes, hydroids and algae. Monogamous.