Pufferfish Creates Underwater Mandalas in Japanese Seabeds

The Torquigener albomaculosus, a pufferfish species inhabiting Japanese seabeds, creates intricate mandala-like patterns up to two meters in diameter by rolling on sand. These formations serve to reduce current impact and protect eggs, with females selecting mates based on the aesthetic quality of these designs. This phenomenon illustrates how beauty directly influences species survival. Since the 2020s, unprecedented attention has emerged toward other living beings, driven by multiple perspectives that encourage researchers to adopt more complex and expansive thinking compared to 20th-century habits. Maurizio Corrado and Anita Romanello explore these concepts in their work, published on October 4, 2026. The creative landscape architecture of this pufferfish represents one of nature's most inventive living artists.