• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.276-281
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• 2007

The toxicity of two species of puffer fish, Takifugu xanthopterus and T. stictonotus, collected from coastal regions of Korea, was determined using a mouse bioassay. The highest toxin scores in the muscle, skin, fins, and testis in both species were below 50 mouse units (MU) per gram, and for each organ of both species the proportion of toxic specimens containing ${\geq}10MU/g$ was less than about 10%. In T. xanthopterus, the highest toxin levels in the liver, gallbladder, and ovary exceeded 1,000 MU/g (1,275-1,910), while less than 200 MU/g (12-136) was detected in the same organs of T. stictonotus. Therefore, the toxicities of muscle, skin, and testis in both species of puffer fish were within acceptable levels for human consumption.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.309-316
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• 1998

Twenty seven species of pufferfishes (family Tetraodontidae) have been examined to find their generic characters based on olfactory organ, lateral line system, prickles, body form and color characters of specimens collected in 20 places along the coast of Korea from September, 1989 to July, 1994. Based on nostril shape, the genera of Takifugu, Lagocephalus, Plurancanthus, Spheoides and Feroxodon have two nostrils, and those of Ephippion and Canthigaster have a single nostril or nasal tentacle, while Boesernanichthys, Arothron and Chelonodon have no nostril. In the genera of Lagocephalus, Spheoides, Boesemanichthys, Arothron and Feroxodon have only a single well-developed lateral line on the body, in those of Takifugu and Plurancanthus usually have two lateral lines, and those of Chelonodon and Ephippion have two lateral lines merged on the caudal peduncle. Based on the lateral line system and olfactory organ, genus Canthigaster has different characters from the other genera of the family Tetraodontidae. In Ephippion guttifer, the prickles on the dorsal and lateral of the body are enormously enlarged into plates forming a partial carapace. Of the 22 species which have prickly spines, the genera, Lagocephalus, Takifugu stictonotus and Arothron Stellatus have the larger ventral pricklyy spines than the dorsal ones. In genera Lagocephalus most of the species have prickly spines that coverd both the back and belly, while L. inermis has no prickly spines.