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Post by artisans on Mar 16, 2009 18:35:14 GMT 2
In the last few years, fishermen off the north coast of Corfu have been netting a new species of fish. Where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet in the area around Erikoussa and Mathraki, the fish is being increasingly caught at depths of over 50 metres. An Atlantic fish commonly caught off Brazil, the puffer has found its way into the Mediterranean and is slowly working its way east. The fish, whose real name is sphoeroides pachygaster, have stocky bodies with inflatable tummies, smooth skin and a large head.
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Post by sthelenssaint on Mar 16, 2009 19:19:41 GMT 2
sounds like me steve john
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Post by artisans on Mar 16, 2009 22:57:16 GMT 2
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Post by sthelenssaint on Mar 16, 2009 23:09:50 GMT 2
2 out of 4 steve, stocky body, inflatable tummy ,seriously though looks like a fish nicknamed "leather jacket "very abundant round the coast of australia . but i have seen one caught in corfu 2 yrs ago by andreos from harbour bar,,,john
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 0:47:23 GMT 2
BLUNTHEAD PUFFER FISH
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Post by artisans on Mar 17, 2009 9:40:48 GMT 2
You didn't mention the lips, John.. Steve
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 14:29:11 GMT 2
The following news article was taken from the online Greek & English Newspaper, The Corfu Today, dated 17th March 2009. A strange looking fish, but then the Puffer species always have been. Some of the species can be nasty, and others are totally the opposite. Advise would be to leave well alone if you came across one.
Yeiamas, Chris
Strange kind of fish in the waters off Corfu
The Association of Environment, reported "In recent years more and more fishermen in Northern Corfu waters report the finding of a new fish species. The latest species to be found is named Sphoeroides pachygaster, or the Blockhead Puffer". The fish of this species occurs in and around the sea islands of Diapontia, this is an important transition zone as is the place where the waters of the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet. The type Sphoeroides pachygaster are fish normally found in the Atlantic Ocean, but have gradually entered the Mediterranean, and continues to be promoted further to the east. Because of some morphological characteristics of the species Sphoeroides pachygaster (Blockhead Puffer) resemble those of dangerous Lagokefalou. Fishermen who are not familiar with either of the two species can often get confused between them. Sphoeroides pachygaster have stocky bodies with inflatable tummy, smooth skin, large head resulting in characteristic "beak". A few days ago a Sphoeroides pachygaster, length 39 cm, caught at a depth of about 80 meters from fisherman of Kerkyra, on a coastal vessel that was fishing with "bottom lines" gear.
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Post by petra on Mar 17, 2009 21:32:46 GMT 2
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 0:15:00 GMT 2
This is a Balloon Fish, smaller, and most are spiky in appearance. They inflate to bring their spikes to the ready. Who would want to swallow that. Yeiamas, Chris
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Post by artisans on Mar 18, 2009 9:48:40 GMT 2
I should mention that the blunthead puffer is quite harmless. Some puffer fish, particularly those found in the Indian Ocean, are poisonous, but don't forget that these are deep water fish and unless you can wade in 50 metres of water, you are unlikely to encounter one! With global warming, there is no doubt that fish, animal and insect distributions are changing. What will we find next?
Steve
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