green pufferfish

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{More citations needed|date=June 2022}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Dichotomyctere fluviatilis - Karlsruhe Zoo 01.jpg

| image2 = Tetrodon fluviatilis Achilles 183.jpg

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn|author1=Shao, K.|author2=Liu, M.|author3=Jing, L.|author4=Hardy, G.|author5=Leis, J.L.|author6=Matsuura, K.|year=2014|title=Tetraodon fluviatilis|page=e.T193750A2271459|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T193750A2271459.en|access-date=29 July 2023}}

| name =

| taxon = Dichotomyctere fluviatilis

| authority = (F. Hamilton, 1822)

| range_map = Dichotomyctere fluviatilis Map.jpg

| synonyms = Tetraodon fluviatilisKottelat, M. (2013). The Fishes of the Inland Waters of Southeast Asia: A Catalogue and Core Bibliography of the Fishes Known to Occur in Freshwaters, Mangroves and Estuaries. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 2013, Supplement No. 27: 1–663.

}}

The green pufferfish or Ceylon pufferfish (Dichotomyctere fluviatilis, syn. Tetraodon fluviatilis) is a species of pufferfish found in South and Southeast Asia.{{FishBase |genus= Dichotomyctere|species= fluviatilis| month = February | year = 2017}}{{Cite web |title=Ceylon Pufferfish - Encyclopedia of Life |url=https://eol.org/pages/51264117 |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=eol.org}} Its habitat includes rivers, estuaries, lakes and flood plains. It lives in fresh to slightly brackish water.

Diet

This species is primarily carnivorous, eating mollusks, crustaceans and invertebrates. Occasionally, algae and plant matter as well as fish scales and other ocean detritus is consumed.{{Cite book|title=Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes.|last=Rainboth|first=W.J.|publisher=FAO|year=1996|location=Rome|page=265}}

In captivity, it will eat some vegetation and commercial fish food. The green pufferfish has a sharp front beak, allowing it to crush shellfish and crabs.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Description

The green pufferfish grows up to a total length (TL) of {{convert|17|cm|in}}, with a white underbelly and a metallic yellow or green top covered in black spots, bulging eyes which are metallic blue colour, and a very thick and broad forehead. Its body usually has a leathery texture, but green pufferfish grown in captivity tend to have smoother skin. Its flesh contains a virulent toxin, and should not be eaten.

References

{{Commons category|Dichotomyctere fluviatilis}}

{{Reflist}}

  • http://whozoo.org/Intro2001/munjungs/MJS_GreenPuffer.htm

{{Taxonbar|from=Q28599191}}

Category:Tetraodontidae

Category:Fish described in 1822

{{Tetraodontiformes-stub}}