The
Coelancath is not the only rare fish found near East London, last month
brothers Johan Deelefs, Gideon du Preez and his son Bradley du Preez discovered
a rare pufferfish while fishing at the Buluga Bump. The three-toothed puffer fish
(Triodon Macropterus) is only the third specimen caught in 30 years. The first
was caught before 1986 in Southern Mozambique and the second was found off the
Durban coast in 2009.
The
fishermen caught the fish at a depth of 90m and weighed 2.05kg, because of the
strange appearance they put the fish on ice and contacted the South African
Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) where the fish will be sent. When it
arrives at the institute a tissue sample will be taken for DNA testing then the
fish will be stored in the National Fish Collection.
The
three-toothed puffer is native to the Indo- Pacific where it is found at depths
of 300m. It reaches a maximum length of 54cm and has a distinctive shape with a
huge belly flap that inflates with sea water when threatened. The flap bears an
eye-spot, and is inflated by rotating the shaft-like pelvis downwards. This makes
the animal appear much larger to predators, and less likely to be eaten.
