Table of Contents
How many species of pufferfish are poisonous?
The name of TTX was established after the Tetraodontidae family of fish. In Japan fugu, or puffer fish, is known for its potential for TTX toxicity. More than 20 species of puffer fish have been found to harbor the toxin (Noguchi et al., 2006).
What is the rarest puffer fish?
Rare species of Arothron pufferfishes
- Arothron caeruleopunctatus “Blue-spotted Pufferfish”
- Arothron carduus “Thick-striped Pufferfish”
- Arothron firmamentum “Heavenly Pufferfish”
- Arothron inconditus “Bellystriped Blaasop”
- Arothron leopardus “n/a”
- Arothron sp. “ Red Sea”
Which puffer fish are not poisonous?
Not all puffers are necessarily poisonous; the flesh of the northern puffer is not toxic (a level of poison can be found in its viscera) and it is considered a delicacy in North America. Takifugu oblongus, for example, is a fugu puffer that is not poisonous, and toxin level varies widely even in fish that are.
How big do Congo puffers get?
The Congo puffer or potato puffer (Tetraodon miurus) is a freshwater pufferfish found in areas of the Congo River in Africa, including rapids. Tetraodon miurus can grow to an approximate length of 15 cm.
Are all pufferfish toxic?
Almost all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a substance that makes them foul tasting and often lethal to fish. To humans, tetrodotoxin is deadly, up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.
Can you eat pufferfish?
Almost all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a deadly toxin that is up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. Called fugu in Japan, the meat of the pufferfish is a highly prized dish that is prepared by specially trained, licensed chefs.
Is it safe to touch puffer fish?
Poison spikes: One of the adaptations that helps the pufferfish survive is the ability to produce a poison known as tetraodotoxin. This toxin is secreted across their body, making puffers dangerous to touch and even more dangerous to consume.