Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences

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First record of Bengal reticulated puffer Chelonodontops bengalensis (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae) from Odisha coast, north-western Bay of Bengal with taxonomic notes


Affiliations
1 Digha Regional Station of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Ramnagar, West Bengal – 721 441,, India
2 Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh – 530 003,, India
3 Mangalore Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mangaluru, Karnataka – 575 001,, India

The present study reports the first record of Bengal reticulated puffer, Chelonodontops bengalensis from Odisha coast in the northwestern Bay of Bengal based on two specimens (226 – 301 mm SL), each collected from Paradeep and Bahabalpur in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The detailed morphological features of C. bengalensis are provided and compared with its previous records. The species is distinguished from its congeners by having 12 dorsal fin rays, 10 anal fin rays, 18 – 19 pectoral fin rays, 10 – 11 caudal fin rays, nasal organ cup shaped with unequal sized flaps, and dorsal profile of body covered with white spots of various shape and size and ventral side silvery white. Our study indicated the range extension of C. bengalensis from its known geographical range i.e. Bangladesh and West Bengal towards south in the northern Bay of Bengal.
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  • First record of Bengal reticulated puffer Chelonodontops bengalensis (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae) from Odisha coast, north-western Bay of Bengal with taxonomic notes

Abstract Views: 159  | 

Authors

S K Roul
Digha Regional Station of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Ramnagar, West Bengal – 721 441,, India
S Ghosh
Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh – 530 003,, India
P Rohit
Mangalore Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mangaluru, Karnataka – 575 001,, India

Abstract


The present study reports the first record of Bengal reticulated puffer, Chelonodontops bengalensis from Odisha coast in the northwestern Bay of Bengal based on two specimens (226 – 301 mm SL), each collected from Paradeep and Bahabalpur in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The detailed morphological features of C. bengalensis are provided and compared with its previous records. The species is distinguished from its congeners by having 12 dorsal fin rays, 10 anal fin rays, 18 – 19 pectoral fin rays, 10 – 11 caudal fin rays, nasal organ cup shaped with unequal sized flaps, and dorsal profile of body covered with white spots of various shape and size and ventral side silvery white. Our study indicated the range extension of C. bengalensis from its known geographical range i.e. Bangladesh and West Bengal towards south in the northern Bay of Bengal.