Scientific Name
Takifugu rubripes

Common Name
Japanese pufferfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-19; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13 - 16; Vertebrae: 21 - 22. Body covered with prickles; presence of a large round black blotch edged with a white line on side just behind pectoral fin (Ref. 559).

Classification

Classified By

Temminck & Schlegel, 1850

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Puffers (Tetraodontidae)

Distribution

Region

Northwest Pacific

Distribution

Northwest Pacific: western part of the Sea of Japan and the East China and Yellow seas northward to Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan.

Range

46°N - 21°N, 119°E - 142°E

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; non-migratory

Trophic Level

3.6 s.e. 0.57 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

80.0 cm

Common Length

40.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (57 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.15-0.17; assuming tm

Threat To Humans

Poisonous to eat (Ref. 637)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated