Map puffer - Arothron mappa
The Map puffer (Arothron mappa), also known as the Map pufferfish, Scribbled pufferfish, or Kesho-fugu, is a demersal marine fish belonging to the family Tetraodontidae. The map puffer is typically found in tropical and subtropical waters from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific ocean. This fish contains tetrodotoxin, a potent and deadly chemical compound used to ward off predators. Despite being highly poisonous, the map puffer can be found both in the aquarium trade and certain food markets. Arothron mappa is a medium-sized fish which grows up to 65 cm length. Its body is oval shape, spherical yet relatively elongated. The skin is not covered with scales, rather, the majority of the map puffer’s body is covered with small dermal spines with the exception of areas around the mouth, pectoral fin base, and caudal fin base.
The fish has no pelvic fin and no lateral line. The dorsal fin and the anal fin are small, symmetric and located at the end of the body. Its snout is short with two pairs of nostrils and its mouth contains four strong teeth which have fused into an edged beak. These teeth continue to grow throughout A. mappa‘s entire life, and must be constantly dulled by consuming hard-shelled prey. The background coloration is whitish with dense network of black, brown or greenish broken lines, with an irradiant line departure from the eye. Depending on specimen, some dark or yellowish blotches can occur around the mouth, the symmetrical anus, on the fins or anywhere on the body. Adults can be found along both deep drop-offs and clear lagoon and sheltered reefs from the surface to 30 m depth. Juveniles can be found on seagrass beds. Arothron mappa feeds on benthic invertebrates, crustaceans, sponges, and algaes. This pufferfish is diurnal and exhibits solitary behavior.
Despite containing tetrodotoxin, several species of pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae are considered delicacies in Japan. Studies have shown that the map puffer’s flesh can be safely consumed by humans. The skin, liver, gonads, and intestines of the map puffer should not be consumed, as they contain high concentrations of the tetrodotoxin. Specialized training is required to prepare a puffer fish containing tetrodotoxin for consumption, as to not contaminate the edible flesh with tetrodotoxin contained within the fish’s skin and organs. However, pufferfish raised on fish farms in Japan which are fed a controlled diet are no longer toxic for human consumption, even the fish’s liver can be eaten as foie gras without any harmful effects.
(extract from Wikipedia)
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