Abstract:

The aims of this study were to identify the current distribution of puffer fishes and their toxicities in Zhuhai waters. The research methods were to collect all the different species of puffer fishes from local fish ponds and fish markets, including wild and cultured species. After species identification, the comparative toxicity of the collected puffer fishes was analyzed with mouse bioassay. The results showed that a total of 8 different puffer species was identified, belonging to 2 families and 3 genera. They were genera Lagocephalus and Takifugu in the family Tetraodontidae as well as the genus Diodon in the family Diodontidae. All the specimens were wild species collected from coastal waters or fish markets except T. obscurus which was cultured in local fish ponds. In the mouse bioassay, the toxicity of all tissues in L. wheeleri, T. obscurus and D. holocanthus was less than 10 mouse units (MU) per gram, which were considered as non-toxic species for human consumption. T. ocellatus contained only weakly toxic livers (10-100 MU/g). In T. flavidus, the toxicity of liver, intestine and all other tissues was more than 100 MU/g, between 10-100 MU/g, and less than 10 MU/g, respectively. However, in T. oblongus, the toxicity of the ovary, liver and skin was more than 100 MU/g, whereas between 10-100 MU/g in the intestine and less than 10 MU/g in the muscle. According to this study, L. wheeleri, T. obscurus and D. holocanthus were considered as non-toxic species, T. ocellatus was a weakly toxic species, and both T. flavidus and T. oblongus were highly toxic species.