Somphong's puffer
Species of fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Somphong's puffer, redeye puffer or crested puffer (Carinotetraodon lorteti) is a small freshwater pufferfish found in mainland Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is often found in canals and brackish waters along the coast; in the canals of Thonburi, Bangkok, for example, it may be found hiding in areas with dense water hyacinths.
| Somphong's puffer | |
|---|---|
| |
| Female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Division: | Teleostei |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Tetraodontidae |
| Genus: | Carinotetraodon |
| Species: | C. lorteti |
| Binomial name | |
| Carinotetraodon lorteti (Tirant, 1885) | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Etymology
The common name of the species, as well as one of the junior synonyms (Tetraodon somphongsi to be precise), honors the Thai fish explorer and aquarium trader Somphong Lek-aree, who discovered three new freshwater fish species, namely the dwarf loach (Ambastaia sidthimunki), Poropuntius melanogrammus (formerly Puntius somphongsi), and Somphong's rasbora (Trigonostigma somphongsi).[2]
Description
The male has a ruby-red body and red eyes, and is significantly larger than the female. When fully matured, Somphong's puffer grows to about 7 cm (2.8 in) in length.[3]
Human interactions
Somphong's puffer can be found in the aquarium trade. In home aquarium settings, keeping this puffer in a heavily planted tank is recommended, since it is easily spooked, and relies on submerged plants for refuge in such situations.[4]