Chelonodontops alvheimi Psomadakis, Matsuura & Thein, 2018
Alvheim’s pufferfsh

Family:  Tetraodontidae (Puffers), subfamily: Tetraodontinae
Max. size:  11.7 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 72 - 164 m
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: Myanmar.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal soft rays: 9-9; Vertebrae: 20-20. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: a strongly tapered body, caudal peduncle slender (caudal-peduncle depth 7.4-7.8% SL); dorsom with spinules, from internarial region to dorsal-fn origin; caudal-fn length 17.4-18.5% SL, nasal organ with two divided flat skin flaps that are almost equal in size. Colouration: dorsum with many small, round to elongate white spots on a greenish brown background; lateral silvery band (sometimes indistinct) from the suborbital region to caudal-fn base forming lower boundary to spotted region; ventral sides of head and body are creamy-white; three indistinct crossing dark brown bars on the dorsal side of the head and body, the first on interorbital region, second just dorsal to gill opening, while the third at dorsal-fn base; blackish marking crossing the posterior of the caudal peduncle; iris is bright yellow; dorsal, anal and pectoral fins hyaline while the caudal fin is brownish with irregular blackish vertical band posteriorly and hyaline margin (Ref. 126647).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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