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 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. FIGURE 10. Takifugu oblongus . FIGURE 11. Percentage of puffer fishes belonging to the tetraodontidae family. FIGURE 12. Distribution of puffer fishes in all the three stations along the Parangipettai coast. TABLE 1. Distribution of puffer fishes along the three station of landing centers in the Parangipettai (Mudasal odai, Annankoil 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