''Guentheridia formosa'', the spotted puffer, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
pufferfish
Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, blowies, bubblefish, globefish, swellfis ...
native to the coasts of the eastern
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
from
Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
to
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
. This species grows to a length of
TL. It is the only known member of the
monotypic genus ''Guentheridia''.
Other common names for the fish include ''compère taché'' in
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and ''tamborín'' and ''tamboril manchado'' in
Spanish.
[
]
Description
The spotted puffer has a white body with dense dark spots on its back and sides in various patterns, with variable yellowish markings. Its head is wider than it is deep, and is convex between the eyes. It as a single dorsal fin at its rear, a similar-shaped anal fin below, and in front of the pectoral fin it has a slit-like gill opening. The spotted puffer's tail fin is generally straight, and can be dusky or greenish.
Habitat
Found in coastal shallow water at depths between 0-10 m, generally at the bottom on soft substrate such as mud or sand.
References
External Links
Tetraodontidae
Taxa named by Charles Henry Gilbert
Taxa named by Edwin Chapin Starks
Taxa named by Albert Günther
{{Tetraodontiformes-stub