Valentin’s sharpnose puffer
(Canthigaster valentini)

Valentin’s sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster valentini), also known as the saddled puffer or black saddled toby, is a demersal marine fish belonging to the family Tetraodontidae.

The saddled puffer is a small sized fish which grows up to 11 cm.

It is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean, Red Sea included, and until the oceanic islands of the Pacific Ocean.

It inhabits rocky and coral reefs, lagoons and external reef until 55 m. Canthigaster valentini has a diurnal activity.

Canthigaster valentini has four distinct black stripes (saddles) on its back. The head is blue-grey and the main body is white speckled with blue-grey spots. The tail and fins show hints of yellow and there is a rainbow streak of color behind the eyes. It is omnivorous, it feeds on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae.

Valentinni’s sharpnose puffers are highly poisonous to eat. They are occasionally found in schools together with Paraluteres prionurus, a non-toxic filefish which has evolved to mimic the very toxic C. valentini for protection against predators.