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.
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.
Takifugu rubripes, commonly known as the Japanese puffer, Tiger puffer, or torafugu, is a pufferfish in the genus Takifugu. It is distinguished by a very small genome that has been fully sequenced because of its use as a model species and is in widespread use as a reference in genomics.
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.
Takifugu chinensis, the Chinese puffer, is a species of fish in the family Tetraodontidae (pufferfish) that is found in coastal waters of China, Japan and Korea. This critically endangered pufferfish has drastically declined because of overfishing and habitat loss, but it is possibly also threatened by the widespread release/escape of aquacultured Takifugu rubripes within its range. These two species are similar, very closely related and perhaps should be considered conspecific, but they do differ in the colour of their anal fins.
Arothron reticularis, variously known as the reticulated pufferfish, reticulated blowfish or reticulated toadfish, is a ray-finned fish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific region where its habitats include sandy and muddy seabeds, coral reefs, estuaries and mangrove areas.
Arothron carduus is a ray-finned fish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is an uncommon species and is native to the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific region.
Takifugu obscurus or the obscure pufferfish is a species of euryhaline, anadromous pufferfish first described by T. Abe in 1949. It has been categorized by the IUCN as a least-concern species globally since 2014; in South Korea, it is however classified as an endangered species due to overfishing of its endemic populations. The Catalogue of Life lists no subspecies of Takifugu obscurus. The species prefers deeper, clearer areas of brackish and fresh water, and is found in estuaries, as well as rivers and tributaries thereof such as the South Korean rivers Geum, Han, and Imjin, or the Tamsui River. The species is endemic to North and South Korea, the Sea of Japan, and the East and South China Seas. Uses of Takifugu obscurus include human consumption, use in animal testing, and owning specimens as pets. As with most species of pufferfish, several organs of Takifugu obscurus contain tetrodotoxin, making it potentially poisonous if not prepared safely by trained persons.
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 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 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 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 plagiocellatus is a species of pufferfish in the genus Takifugu. It is endemic to the coastal waters of southeastern Hainan.
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 radiatus is a species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the Northwest Pacific, where it ranges from Kyushu to the East China Sea. It is a demersal species that reaches 20 cm SL.
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.
