Pao palembangensis

(Bleeker, 1851)

Vernacular names
English : Humpback puffer
French : Poisson-globe de Palembang

Classification
Class : Teleostei
Order : Tetraodontiformes
Family : Tetraodontidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
The species grows to 19 cm long. Back mostly flat except a hump in the middle of the back. Very large protruding red eyes, upturned mouth. Back mostly light brown to bright orange brown with clear yellow and reddish-orange lines, dots or mottling. Flanks and belly darker brown with a maze of curving black bands with clearer areas and presence of a few round black spots on back half of flanks and belly.

Range and habitat
The species lives in southeast Asia, from Thailand (and likely nearby Laos) to Peninsular Malaysia and an isolated population in the Musi river near Palembang on Sumatra. It is found in lakes and rivers and its biology and behavior are still poorly understood.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species has a fairly large range but its habitat is impacted by pollution, deforestation for various industrial plantations (including palm oil) and catching of the fish, both for food consumption and the pet trade. Despite these threats, it isn’t believed that populations aren’t declining fast enough to warrant uplisting.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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