Torquigener brevipinnis ( Regan, 1903 )

Veeruraj, Anguchamy, Arumugam, Muthuvel, Ajithkumar, Thangappan & Balasubramanian, Thangavel, 2011, Distribution of Tetraodontiformes (Family: Tetraodontidae) along the Parangipettai Coast, Southeast coast of India, Zootaxa 3015, pp. 1-12 : 8

Torquigener brevipinnis ( Regan, 1903)

Yellow stripe toadfish ( Fig. 8)

Tetraodon brevipinnis

Common names. Yellow stripe blowfish, Torquigener puffer fish

Habitat. Brackish, Marine, Demersal and depth range 20– 50 m.

Colour. Dark brown above with white spots and/or mottled grey; lower side whitish in colour. Three yellowish brown bands with white margin on head.

Geographical distribution. This species recorded from the Indo-Pacific region including the South China Sea, north to Japan ( Mohsin and Ambak, 1996).

Description of species. Dorsal soft spines (total): 8–9; Pectoral soft spines: 15–16; Anal soft spines: 7–8; caudal soft spines: 10

Body covered with prickles. Dorsal profile convex; ventral surface flat when deflated and dark brown with pale white spots above, an intermediate pale yellow zone, and white below. Prickles on dorsal region from inter orbital space to in front of dorsal- fin origin, lateral sides and ventral surface of body and ending in front of anus. Snout and caudal peduncle slightly curved.

Biology and fishery. Epibenthic mainly occurs in small loose groups on shallow coastal sand flats and in estuaries. Often sleeps during the day by burying itself under the sand with only the eyes exposed. The maximum length: 15.85 cm TL unsexed. Specimens caught with bottom trawls.

Remarks. This species resembles Amblyrhynchotes hypselogeneion and makes the identification difficult. The skin has numerous longitudinal plates.

Not edible as flesh of fishes is believed that to be poisonous. Not a commercial species.