Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, blowers, blowies, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, toadle, honey toads, sugar toads, and sea squab. They are morphologically similar to the closely related porcupinefish, which have large external spines. The scientific name refers to the four large teeth, fused into an upper and lower plate, which are used for crushing the hard shells of crustaceans and mollusks, their natural prey.
Takifugu, also known by the Japanese name fugu, is a genus of pufferfish with 25 species, most of which are native to salt and brackish waters of the northwest Pacific, but a few species are found in freshwater in Asia or more widely in the Indo-Pacific region. Their diet consists mostly of algae, molluscs, invertebrates and sometimes crustaceans.
The grass puffer, or Kusa-fugu, is a species of fish in the pufferfish family (Tetraodontidae). This common to abundant species is found in the northwest Pacific Ocean in China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam. It is primarily found in coastal waters, ranging to depths of 20 m (66 ft), but is often seen in brackish water and has also been recorded briefly entering freshwater. The grass puffer reaches up to 15 cm (6 in) in length.
Zenopsis is a genus of dories, a group of marine fish. There are four extant species, but the genus is also known from fossils dating back to the Oligocene epoch. They largely resemble the better-known John Dory, and are typically found in relatively deep water, below normal scuba diving depth.
The coachwhip trevally, also known as the oblong trevally or oblique-banded trevally, is a species of inshore marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. The coachwhip trevally is distributed through the Indo-west Pacific region, ranging from South Africa in the west to Fiji and Japan in the east. It is a moderately large fish, growing to a known maximum length of 46 cm and can be distinguished from similar species by an array of detailed morphological features including dentition, fin ray counts and scale patterns. The coachwhip trevally inhabits coastal waters throughout its range, known to prefer estuarine waters in a number of localities. Nothing is known of its diet or reproductive biology, and is of little importance to fisheries, occasionally taken as bycatch in trawl and hook and line fisheries.
Takifugu alboplumbeus, sometimes known as the grey-spotted puffer, is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a marine species native to the Indo-Pacific that reaches 23 cm SL. It is known to be highly toxic.
Takifugu bimaculatus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a marine species native to the Northwest Pacific, where it is known from the South China Sea off Vietnam, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea. It is demersal and reaches 30 cm SL. It is known to be toxic, although pufferfish from the genus Takifugu are often prepared and consumed as fugu.
Takifugu chrysops is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a marine species known from Japan, where it ranges from Tosa Bay to Tokyo Bay. It is a demersal fish that reaches 20 cm SL. Although sometimes known as the red-eyed puffer, this can lead to confusion with several freshwater species of the genus Carinotetraodon.
Takifugu coronoidus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a brackish-water species known from China that was first described by Y. Li and C. S. Ni in 1992. In Chinese, the species is known as "晕环多纪鲀", which translates to "halo pufferfish".
Takifugu exascurus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a marine species native to the Northwest Pacific, where it occurs in the waters surrounding Japan, including the Sea of Japan. It reaches 15 cm SL and is known as ムシフグ (Mushifugu) in Japanese.
Takifugu flavidus, commonly known as the yellowbelly pufferfish, is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the Bohai Sea, where it is found near shore. It a demersal species that reaches 35 cm SL. It is reported to be dangerously toxic to humans, although poisonous pufferfish are frequently prepared as fugu and consumed.
Takifugu ocellatus, sometimes known as the ocellated puffer or the orange-saddle puffer, is a species of anadromous pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to China and Vietnam. Juveniles of the species occur in brackish and freshwater environments, but adults are marine. This species is noted to be fatally poisonous to humans if consumed. It reaches 15 cm in total length.
Takifugu orbimaculatus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a freshwater species native to China that is known to be used medicinally. In 2009, it was determined that Takifugu orbimaculatus is likely to be very closely related to its congeners T. coronoidus and T. obscurus based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, with genetic differences between these species being almost comparable to those between individuals of the same species.
Takifugu pardalis, known as the panther puffer, is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a marine species native to the Northwest Pacific, where it ranges from Hakodate in Japan to the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. It is demersal, occurring in coastal rocky areas, and reaches 30 cm SL. It is known to be poisonous. Both the scientific and common name of this species reference its distinctive spotted pattern, which resembles that of a leopard.
Takifugu porphyreus, known as the purple puffer, is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Northwest Pacific, where it ranges from Hokkaido to the East China Sea. It is a demersal species found in the littoral zone that reaches 52 cm in total length. While parts of the fish are highly toxic, it is frequently consumed as fugu in Japan.
Takifugu pseudommus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Northwest Pacific, where it is known from the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. It is a demersal species that reaches 35 cm SL, and it is reported to be poisonous.
Takifugu reticularis is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Northwest Pacific, where it is known from the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. It is a demersal species that reaches 29 cm SL. While the toxicity of the species is unknown, it is assumed to be at least somewhat poisonous. In Chinese, the species is known commonly as 網紋多紀魨, meaning "reticulated pufferfish".
Takifugu snyderi, known as shōsai-fugu in Japanese, is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is a marine species native to Japan, the Yellow Sea, and the South China Sea. It is demersal and reaches 30 cm SL. While the ovaries, skin, liver, and intestines of the species are extremely toxic, the testes and flesh are thought to be less hazardous, and species of the genus Takifugu are frequently consumed as fugu.
Takifugu stictonotus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Northwest Pacific, where it ranges from Hokkaido to the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. It is a demersal species that reaches 35 cm SL. In Mandarin Chinese, the species is known as 密点多纪鲀, translating to "dense pufferfish".
Takifugu variomaculatus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Northwest Pacific, where it is known from China. It is a demersal species that reaches 13.7 cm SL.
