Distribution of Tetraodontiformes (Family: Tetraodontidae) along the Parangipettai Coast, Southeast coast of India Author Veeruraj, Anguchamy Author Arumugam, Muthuvel Author Ajithkumar, Thangappan Author Balasubramanian, Thangavel text Zootaxa 2011 3015 1 12 journal article 46410 10.5281/zenodo.204601 c811edf8-e434-43db-83f6-01c17329a0b3 1175-5326 204601 Lagocephalus lunaris ( Bloch and Schneider, 1801 ) Green toad fish or Rough backed blowfish ( Fig.2 ). Tetraodon lunaris Lagocephalus lunaris lunaris Sphoeroides lunaris Common names . Lunar tail puffer, Green bough backed blowfish, Moon tail blaasop and Head rabbit puffer. Habitat. Demersal, brackish and marine waters and Oceanodromous. Colour . Head and body is yellowish dark green above dorsal region; A wide silvery yellow band running longitudinally along mid-lateral body from mouth to caudal fin base; ventral surface is milky white. Geographical distribution. Widely distributed in the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and extending north to Japan (Masuda et al ., 1984). FIGURE 2 . Lagocephalus lunaris . Description of species. Dorsal rays (total): 11–12; Pectoral soft spines: 17–18; Anal soft spines: 10–11; Caudal soft spines: 8–9. Body elongated with broad head; dorsal profile convex; prickles cover extend from interorbital space to origin of dorsal fin and from below anterior margin of eye to front of anus; eyes are large and rounded with free orbital margin on lower side; interorbital space is broad with flat nasal organ and a short papilla with 2 large openings. A skin fold or keel arise from below mouth to middle of caudal fin base; dorsal and anal fins set far back on body; origin of anal fin below anterior region of dorsal fin; caudal fin lunate and caudal peduncle compressed, deeper than wide. Biology and fishery. Epibenthic, mainly marine, occasionally enters estuaries. Length ranged from - 4.5 to 55 cm SL; generally caught with trawls. Remarks. This species differs from the closely related Lagocephalus inermis by the presence of spiny prickles on its dorsal surface. In L. inermis , the gill opening is internally black whereas it is not in L. lunaris . This species is not edible as its flesh is believed to be poisonous but commonly used as aquarium fishes.