Saddled toby

Scientific name : Canthigaster valentini

Small toby, white covered with brown-orange stripes and spots. Yellow tail, 4 black or dark brown saddles along the back (the second and third extend to the belly). 10 cm. It is a seaweed, sessile and mobile invertebrates feeder.
It is territorial, the male protects a small harem, mating every day with a different female. Eggs are laid in algal tufts. Canthigaster coronata is very similar, sharing the same warning colour (both species are poisonous). The latter have less orange spots, an orange line dividing the white area from the saddles, that are only on back and half of the side.
A file fish, Paraluteres prionurus, is very similar in shape and colour. This is a typical case of batesian mimicry: a harmless species mimics a poisonous model gaining protection against predation. If carefully observed, P. prionurus is thinner, more rigid and polygonal, have longer soft dorsal and anal fins, and a first dorsal spine that can be lifted (missing in puffer fishes).

Associated organisms
Often seen at night sleeping on a sponge.