Takifugu oblongus (Bloch, 1786)

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 : 9-11

Takifugu oblongus (Bloch, 1786)

Lattice blaasop ( Fig.10)

Tetraodon oblongus Sphoeroides oblongus Fugu oblongus

Common names. Salepallokala, Ruitjies blaasop

Habitat. Demersal, brackish water, marine and depth range 18– 22 m.

Colour. Head and body dark brown to brown on dorsal surface with pale white spots. Dorsal surface brown with vertically bands along body; lower region of abdomen yellowish. All fins are uniformly yellow.

Geographical distribution. Indian Ocean from South Africa to Indonesia, north to south Japan, and south to Australia.

Description of species. Dorsal soft spines (total): 12–14; Pectoral soft spines: 15–17; Anal soft spines: 10–12; Caudal soft spines: 8.

Body is oblong with broad head and back. Head and body except for snout region, lips and entire caudal peduncle covered with small elongated spines or prickles. Nasal organ in front present of eye consisting of a slightly raised papilla. Large terminal mouth with fleshy lips. Dorsal and anal fins angular set far back on body. Origin of anal fin below anterior region of dorsal fin base and caudal fin slightly rounded. Brownish above with pale spots, yellowish white below; narrow dark bars on sides

Biology and fishery. Epibenthic lives in shallow coastal waters, but enters brackish waters. Minimum and Maximum length: 10 cm and 38 cm TL unsexed, generally specimens caught with fishing bottom trawls.

Remarks. “Toad pole” appearance of this species distinguishes this species from other tetradontiforms in the area. Presence of numerous rounds milky white blotches on the dorsal region and black with white narrow dark bars on lateral sides. The middle abdominal area has yellow shades.

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

and Samiyarpettai) south east coast of India, TamilNadu.

S. No. species stations

Station I Station II Station III total

1 Lagocephalus lunaris 684 30 75 789

2 Lagocephalus inermis 897 47 84 1028

3 Arothron reticularis 34 8 19 61

4 Arothron stellatus 14 4 2 20

5 Arothron hispidus 41 2 0 43

6 Arothron immaculatus 27 45 15 87

7 Torquigener brevipinnis 365 0 35 400

8 Chelonodon patoca 38 0 0 38

9 Takifugu oblongus 26 0 4 30 Total 2126 136 234 2496