Grass puffer

Grass puffer
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Tetraodontiformes
Family:	Tetraodontidae
Genus:	Takifugu
Species:	T. niphobles
Binomial name
Takifugu niphobles (D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1901)

The grass puffer (Takifugu niphobles) is a species of fish in the Tetraodontidae family. It is found in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It is often caught off beaches, docks, and piers using various baits such as worms, shrimp, sea lice, or cut fish. They are popular for children to catch and possibly in aquarium trade, but cannot be eaten on account of fatal tetrodotoxin (pufferfish poison) which can cause heart problems, kidney failure, and a coma that can be mistaken for death. Puffer is prepared as fugu by chefs with a Fugu License. The grass puffer is a common fish caught in Japan but is inedible unless the toxin bearing organ is removed.

Sources

• Roberts, C. 1996. Takifugu niphobles. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 August 2007.