Arothron immaculatus, the immaculate puffer or yellow-eyed puffer, is a pale greyish to brownish pufferfish from the Indo-West Pacific. It is a species of marine fish in the family Tetraodontidae.

Immaculate puffer
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Tetraodontidae
Genus: Arothron
Species:
A. immaculatus
Binomial name
Arothron immaculatus

Description

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The immaculate puffer is a pufferfish and has a rounded body with a short tail. They have no scales or clear lateral line. They are grey or light brown, though they have the ability to change this to a mottled grey-green coloration presumably used for camouflage.[2] The lips and iris of the immaculate pufferfish are yellow. The caudal fin is yellow, bordered with black.

 
Arothron immaculatus in camouflage.

Distribution

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The immaculate puffer is distributed in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean from the northern coast of Australia throughout Indonesia and even as far west as Madagascar and the east coast of Africa.[citation needed] They are usually found on sandy bottoms close to reefs and in lagoons to a depth of 30 meters.[2] Immaculate puffers are often found hunting in patches of isolated rubble and in fields of sea grasses.[2]

Diet

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The immaculate puffer is primarily carnivorous but has been reported feeding on sea grasses and mangroves as well.[3] Their normal diet consists of crustaceans and mollusks.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Shao, K.; Liu, M.; Jing, L.; Hardy, G.; Leis, J.L.; Matsuura, K. (2014). "Arothron immaculatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T193805A2279861. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T193805A2279861.en. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Sutton, Alan (2018-11-13). "Immaculate Pufferfish - Facts and Photographs". Seaunseen. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  3. ^ "Immaculate puffer Fish - Maldives Biodiversity Association". www.maldivesbiodiversity.org. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
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