Tiger Pufferfishトラフグ

Species Data

Classification

Tetraodontiformes / Tetraodontidae Source

Size

Adults reach a body length of about 70 cm

Diet

Carnivore Eats small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks

Distribution

Native to the northwestern Pacific, the western Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea, schooling in bays shallower than 200 m; its northern range limit lies around Hokkaido. Source

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

• Newly hatched juveniles are non-toxic; they accumulate tetrodotoxin in their bodies only after preying on toxic animals such as certain poisonous snails. Source
• Its genome is only about 350-400 million base pairs, one of the smallest among vertebrates, yet it carries roughly the same number of genes as humans, making it a compact model organism for genetics research. Source

Verified individual animals and facilities will be added as official information becomes available.

FAQ

Is the tiger pufferfish poisonous?

Adults carry tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin, mainly in the liver and ovaries, but the toxin is acquired from their diet — newly hatched young start out non-toxic. Source

Why is the tiger pufferfish important to science?

It has one of the smallest known vertebrate genomes (about 350-400 million base pairs) while carrying nearly as many genes as humans, making it a useful compact model for genome research. Source

Where does the tiger pufferfish live?

It is found in the northwestern Pacific, western Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea, schooling in bays shallower than 200 m, with Hokkaido marking its northern range limit. Source

How many operating facilities are registered here?

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 0 Source

Books & gear

• Tiger Pufferfish book
• binoculars