Photo. (c) 2022 BSS/MCSS.
Scientific Name: Canthigaster cyanospilota
English Name: Blue-spotted toby
Creole Name:
French Name:
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
Description:
Dorsal rays: 9-11; Anal rays: 8-10.
Body moderately compressed. Snout long. Dorsal profile of snout straight to slightly concave. Eye small (the diameter 3.8–5.75 in head length). Interorbital space slightly
concave. Mouth small, oval, and terminal. Lips fleshy and papillose exposing about terminal half of upper dental plate. Skin with numerous small spinules that are directed
posteriorly, each fitting into a longitudinal groove; very few spinules on flat ventral part of body between anal and caudal fins. Origin of anal fin below or posterior to
rear base of dorsal fin. Dorsal and anal rays branched, except the first. Third dorsal ray usually longest, but adjacent rays nearly as long.
Colour. Base colour pale grey to off-white. A broad dark brown band across posterior interorbital space. The snout is often green dorsally. Three broad, oblique saddles not
extending below level of upper end of gill opening. Bright blue dots and short lines on head and body, including ones radiating from eye and margins of brown saddles. Vertical
blue lines behind mouth. The caudal fin has longitudinal blue lines or rows of small blue spots and short lines.
Size:
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm. Max length : 10.4 cm SL.
Habitat and Ecology:
Inhabits shallow waters off natural seaward reefs and over muddy or silty substrates (depth 10-80 m). Solitary. Oviparous.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is not subject to fishery pressure.
Notes:
Photo courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photograph taken at Alphonse group 2022.
References:
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/65363 (31/07/22).
Randall, J.E. et al. (2008). The Indo-Pacific tetraodontid fish Canthigaster coronata, a complex of three species. Smithiana Bulletin. 9:3-13.
Shao, K. et al. (2014). Canthigaster cyanospilota. The IUCN Red List 2014: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T193799A2279036.en. (31/07/22).
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G., Brighton, E. & Mason-Parker, C. (2022). Canthigaster cyanospilota, Blue-spotted toby. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/canthigaster-cyanospilota-randall-williams-rocha-2008/