Takifugu rubripes (Temminck & Schlegel 1850)

Body covered with prickles; presence of a large round black blotch edged with a white line on side just behind pectoral fin (Ref. 559).

Heterobothrium Infection. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Epitheliocystis. Bacterial diseases

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 19; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 13 - 16; Vertebrae: 21 - 22

Found in inlet waters, occasionally entering brackish waters. Move offshore with growth. Juveniles resemble Takifugu niphobles (Ref. 637).

Adults are found in inlet waters, occasionally entering brackish waters. Fingerlings are often seen in brackish river mouths (Ref. 58920). Move offshore with growth. Breed in the sea (Ref. 58920) from March to May; attach eggs to rocks in shingly areas at depths of around 20 m. Liver and ovaries extremely toxic, intestines slightly toxic; flesh, skin and testes not poisonous. Juveniles resemble Takifugu niphobles (Ref. 637). A prized food fish in Japan. Said to be commercially cultured in Japan at present. Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166). One of the first vertebrates whose genome has been sequenced completely, 31,059 genes coding for 33,609 proteins (Ref. 58917).

fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family