Tetraodontidae

Fricke, Ronald, Allen, Gerald R., Andréfouët, Serge, Chen, Wei-Jen, Hamel, Mélanie A., Laboute, Pierre, Mana, Ralph, Hui, Tan Heok & Uyeno, Daisuke, 2014, Checklist of the marine and estuarine fishes of Madang District, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean, with 820 new records, Zootaxa 3832 (1), pp. 1-247 : 197-200

Tetraodontidae

Arothron caeruleopunctatus Matsuura, 1994 —Blue-spotted puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimens photographed at St. CTR 12. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Western Mascarenes and Maldives east to Papua New Guinea, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia. Found in clear lagoon and seaward coral reefs, 2– 50 m. Marine.

Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) —White-spotted puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimens photographed at St. CTR 0 7. AMS, ANSP and WAM material (AMS I.1670 -003; ANSP 117122, 117166, 117170; WAM P.30374-018). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea, East and South Africa, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Panama, north to southern Japan, Ogasawara and Hawaiian islands, south to Lord Howe and Rapa islands. Found in seaward coral reef slopes, inner reef flats and lagoons; juveniles in seagrass areas including estuaries, 1– 50 m. Transitional water and marine.

Arothron manilensis (Marion de Procé, 1822) —Striped puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on a specimen photographed by A. Berberian. AMS and ANSP material (AMS I.16662-001; ANSP 117126).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Central Indonesia east to Marshall Islands and Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia. Found in mangrove habitats, seagrass and on sand/silt bottoms, 0– 22 m. Transitional water and marine.

Arothron mappa (Lesson, 1831) —Map puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimens photographed at St. CTR 23, and another by Tan H. H. at St. PR 0 1 on 5 Nov. 2012.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East and South Africa and western Mascarenes east to Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to southern Queensland ( Australia) and New Caledonia. Found in clear lagoon and sheltered seaward reefs; adults usually along deep drop-offs, 1– 30 m. Marine.

Arothron meleagris (Lacepède [ex Commerson ], 1798) —Guineafowl puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimens photographed at St. CTR 0 4. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East and South Africa, Seychelles and western Mascarenes east to Panama, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to Lord Howe and Easter islands. Found in coral-rich areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs, 2– 24 m. Marine.

Arothron nigropunctatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) —Black-spotted puffer ( Fig. 32 )

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimens observed, photographed and collected at St. CTR 0 4, CTR 0 5, CTR 0 7, CTR 0 8, CTR 10, CTR 12, CTR 14, CTR 15, CTR 17, CTR 19, CTR 20, CTR 26, CTR 27, CTR 30, CTR 31, CTR 34, CTR 35; a specimen collected by W.-J. Chen at Madang Resort. AMS, ANSP, CAS, MNHN and NTUM material (AMS IB.493, I.16671-022; ANSP 117160, 117163; CAS 65698, 65699; MNHN uncat.; NTUM 10155).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea, East and South Africa, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Line and Tuamotu islands, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south New South Wales ( Australia) and New Caledonia. Found on coastal to seaward reef crest and slope habitats with rich invertebrate growth, 3– 25 m. Marine.

Arothron stellatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) —Stellate puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimens observed and photographed at St. CTR 0 1, CTR 0 3, CTR 0 7, CTR 20, CTR 23.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea, East and South Africa, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Tuamotu Archipelago, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Lord Howe Island and northern New Zealand. Found in patch reefs and coral reef slopes near sandy areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs; juveniles occur in sandy and seagrass inner reefs, 1– 58 m. Marine.

Canthigaster amboinensis (Bleeker, 1864) — Ambon toby

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Allen & Erdmann (2012: 1091). A specimen photographed at St. CTR 0 9.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East and South Africa, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Galapagos Archipelago, north to southern Japan and Hawaiian Islands, south to Great Barrier Reef ( Australia), New Caledonia and Society Islands. Found on coral and rocky reefs, often in high energy zones, 0– 16 m. Marine.

Canthigaster bennetti (Bleeker, 1854) —Bennett's toby

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Munro (1958: 295). WAM material. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa east to Hawaiian and Galapagos islands, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia. Found on sand/rubble bottoms of sheltered coastal reefs and on reef flats, 1– 15 m. Marine.

Canthigaster compressa (Procé, 1822) —Compressed toby

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on a specimen photographed at St. CTR 14. AMS material (AMS I.17041-002).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Central Indonesia east to Palau and Vanuatu, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to New Caledonia. Found in silty bays and harbours, 2– 25 m. Marine.

Canthigaster janthinoptera (Bleeker, 1855) —Green-spotted toby

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on CAS material (CAS 65700, 65701, 65702). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea and East Africa east to Line Islands and Pitcairn, straying to Galapagos, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia. Found in lagoon and seaward reefs, 1– 30 m. Marine.

Canthigaster ocellicincta Allen & Randall, 1977 —Shy toby

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Allen & Erdmann (2012: 1094). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Central Indonesia east to Palau and Fiji, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Queensland ( Australia) and New Caledonia. Solitary, in caves and crevices of steep seaward reef slopes, 10– 53 m. Marine.

Canthigaster papua (Bleeker, 1848) —Papuan toby

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on specimen observed and photographed at St. CTR 19, CTR 29, CTR 35, PR 228; another by A. Berberian.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Andaman Islands and Indonesia east to Palau and Solomon Islands, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia. Solitary or in pairs, in coral reefs, 1– 35 m. Marine.

Canthigaster valentini (Bleeker, 1853) —Black-saddled toby

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Parenti & Allen (1991: 319). Specimens photographed at St. CTR 33, PR 176, and by A. Berberian. ANSP, BPBM, CAS and WAM material.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea, East and South Africa, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Tuamotu Archipelago, north to South Korea, southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Lord Howe Island. Found in coastal reefs and lagoon habitats, 0– 91 m. Marine.

Chelonodon patoca (Hamilton, 1822) —Milk-spotted puffer

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Parenti & Allen (1991: 319). AMS, ANSP, CAS and WAM material.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa and Persian Gulf east to Philippines and New Guinea, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia. Found in estuaries, among mangroves, entering lower reaches of freshwater rivers and streams, 1– 5 m. Freshwater, transitional water and marine.

Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) —Silver-cheeked toadfish

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on AMS material (AMS I.16748-004). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea, East and South Africa east to Palau and Samoa, north to Japan, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia. Found on seaward reefs, 8– 100 m. Marine.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Arothron nigropunctatus (Tetraodontidae, right), with Sargocentron rubrum (Holocentridae), Madang Lagoon, P. Laboute, 24 Nov. 2012.