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Invasive species pose threats to either human health or inflict ecological and/or economic damage. The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), a Lessepsian species, is one of the most harmful species in the Mediterranean Sea, because of its potent neurotoxin, impacts on marine biodiversity, and the increased costs and labor they inflict on fishers. Since the catch and consumption of this pufferfish is prohibited by almost all countries bordering the Mediterranean, they have now expanded into the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea. We performed a comprehensive study of L. sceleratus covering ecological aspects, growth, reproduction, diet and trophic level based on samples from southwestern coasts of Turkey. The estimated growth parameters were L∞ = 88.7 cm, K = 0.27 year-1, C = 0.6 and WP = 0.1. Their sex-ratio was M/F = 1:0.69. Lagocephalus sceleratus appears to be a batch spawner with discontinuous oocyte recruitment and has different spawning seasons in the Eastern Mediterranean which seem to be based on temperature cues which get shorter in duration as one moves north from the Suez. We also report their first positive ecological trait, that they are controlling some other invasive species through their diets, such as lionfish, Red Sea goatfish, rabbitfish and longspine sea urchins, in addition to controlling themselves through cannibalism, which appears to be density-dependent. They are indeed a top predator in the region with a trophic level of 4.1. We suggest that targeted fishing using improved gear-types to reduce fishing gear damages are initiated, and that finding commercial markets for pufferfish could help to naturally fund ongoing control efforts.

Pufferfish belonging to Lagocephalus are composed of several species, some of which have been recognized to be non-toxic. Although fish belonging to this genus inhabit a wide variety of seawaters from temperate to tropical, toxin distribution has remained unclear. The present study was conducted to thoroughly survey the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and its analogs (TTXs) in the extracts from various tissues of Lagocephalus pufferfish, including L. spadiceus, L. cheesemanii, L. lunaris, and L. inermis collected in Vietnam, by using the TTX enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Analyses using the TTX-ELISA kit demonstrated the presence of a considerable amount of TTXs in the extracts prepared from various tissues and organs of Lagocephalus pufferfish. TTX was detected in gonads and intestine of L. cheesemanii as well as L. lunaris by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, but not in any tissues and organs of L. spadiceus. The extract from muscle of L. spadiceus was further subjected to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses to investigate toxin components, revealing the presence of a high amount of 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX (TDT), but no TTX. Since the toxicity of TDT is very weak, L. spadiceus muscle was regarded to be non-toxic as far as samples collected in the present study are concerned.

Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Oceanic Puffer. To 61 cm (24 in) TL (Miller and Lea 1972). Circumglobal; western Pacific Ocean north to Japan (Yamada in Nakabo 2002), and southern Kuril Islands (Parin 2003); Alder Creek Beach, Mendocino County, northern California (Miller and Lea 1972) to Peru (Grove and Lavenberg 1997), including Islas Gal��pagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997); at least one Gulf of California record (23��39.35���N, 109��40.77���W) (Personal communication: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Fish Collection, La Jolla, California). Oceanic; depth: near surface (Eschmeyer and Herald 1983) to at least 1,000 m (3,280 ft) (Shipp in Carpenter 2003)., Published as part of Love, Milton S., Bizzarro, Joseph J., Cornthwaite, Maria, Frable, Benjamin W. & Maslenikov, Katherine P., 2021, Checklist of marine and estuarine fishes from the Alaska-Yukon Border, Beaufort Sea, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pp. 1-285 in Zootaxa 5053 (1) on page 225, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5053.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5578008, {"references":["Miller, D. J. & Lea, R. N. (1972) Guide to the coastal marine fishes of California. California Department of Fish and Game Fish Bulletin, 157.","Nakabo, T. (Ed.). (2002) Fishes of Japan with Pictorial Keys to the Species. Tokai University Press, Tokyo.","Parin, N. V. (2003) An annotated catalogue of fish-like vertebrates and fishes of the seas of Russia and adjacent countries: Part 3. Orders Perciformes (excluding suborders Gobioidei, Zoarcoidei and Stichaeoidei) and Tetraodontiformes. Journal of Ichthyology, 43, S 1 - S 40.","Grove, J. S. & Lavenberg, R. J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford.","Eschmeyer, W. N. & Herald, E. S. (1983) A Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes of North America from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.","Carpenter, K. E. (Ed.). (2003) The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 1. Mollusca, Crustacea, Hagfishes, Sharks, Batoid Fishes, and Chimaeras. Volume 2. Bony Fishes Part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). Volume 3. Bony Fishes Part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication, No. 5. FAO, Rome. [Date on cover is 2002, but publication date is 2003.]"]}

During their ontogenetic development, many species of fishes undergo drastic changes which may be defined as true metamorphosis when they are induced by thyroid hormones. Sicyopterus lagocephalus is an amphidromous goby that has to change biome twice during its life cycle. The first biome shift occurs few hours after hatching in the river. The aim of the present study is to determine what external/environmental and internal/endocrine factors induce the transformation of freshwater prolarvae into marine larvae. First, we experimentally determined that the minimum salinity threshold inducing the transformation of all the prolarvae into marine larvae is 1.5, whereas a salinity of 0.2 induces the transformation of a few prolarvae. Similarly, an 18-h immersion in seawater before the return to freshwater is enough to induce the transformation of all the prolarvae into marine larvae, even though an immersion for 3 h can induce the transformation of a few prolarvae. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a simulated increase in the osmotic pressure of freshwater does not trigger the transformation of the prolarvae into marine larvae. Our study also reveals that among the various constituent salts of seawater, it is primarily NaCl and K+ that induce the transformation of the prolarvae, leading to the assumption that the membrane protein Na+/K+-ATPase is activated simultaneously with the prolarval transformation. Finally, we showed that thyroid hormones and cortisol are not involved in the prolarval transformation, leading to the conclusion that this first transformation in the life cycle of S. lagocephalus cannot be considered as a true metamorphosis.

Background The puffer fish species (Tetraodontidae) inhabit tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the world, and some species exist in many parts of the Mediterranean Sea. In the Syrian marine waters (eastern Mediterranean), five species are known to exist but Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) was not recorded there before. Method Samples were collected from a depth of 300 m off Banyas coast, Syria, using bottom longline, the morphometric measurements and meristic measurements were recorded. Results One specimen of the oceanic puffer Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) was caught from the marine water of Syria. Conclusion This is the first record of Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Syrian marine waters.

PubMedID: 30529858 Tetrodotoxin (TTX) levels in Lagocephalus sceleratus (Silverstripe blaasop), Lagocephalus spadiceus (Half-smooth golden pufferfish) and Lagocephalus suezensis (Suez puffer) caught in Mersin Bay in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea were analysed using Q-TOF LC/MS. Pufferfish were caught using trawl fishing, longlining and fishing line from December 2015 to October 2016. The TTX changes in the gonads, livers, intestines, skins and muscle tissues were evaluated according to sex and season. TTX levels for L. sceleratus and L. suezensis for all tissues were in the range of 0.69–35.6 µg/g and 0.67–3.09 µg/g, respectively. The highest TTX levels were observed in the gonads of female L. sceleratus caught in the autumn, and in the skin of L. suezensis caught in the spring but no quantifiable levels of TTX were found for L. spadiceus. In conclusion, L. sceleratus and L. suezensis species caught in the North-Eastern Mediterranean are toxic, and their consumption is unsafe. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd TOVAG-115O679 This research was financially supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK); TOVAG-115O679 . We would like to thank graphic designer Yeter MERCAN for the support for the preparation of the Graphical Abstract.

Taxonomic identification of marine organisms is sometimes hindered by morphological similarities and utilization of wrong criteria. Therefore, the morphological approach often requires the support of molecular tools which usually rely on a comparison of DNA sequences available in free publicly-accessible databases. However, the process can be affected by wrongly deposited sequences which lead to specimens’ misidentification. This is the case of two toxic pufferfish species (Lagocephalus spadiceus and L. guentheri), both reported as Lessepsian invasive species, whose actual presence in the Mediterranean is debated within the scientific community. In this study, the reliability of the genetic databases GenBank and BOLD in supporting the discrimination of L. spadiceus and L. guentheri was assessed as it has been already debated in literature. Twenty Mediterranean specimens of L. guentheri were collected and morphologically identified. COI and cytb reference sequences were then produced and included in two separate analyses (one for each gene) together with corresponding online sequences of L. spadiceus and L. guentheri from all the available localities. A high percentage of sequences with non-valid taxonomic identification was observed, involving 32.5% of the COI and 43.7% of the cytb sequences from GenBank and 30% of the COI sequences from BOLD. The majority of sequences deposited under L. spadiceus, mostly of Mediterranean origin, were genetically confirmed to be misidentified L. guentheri. Outcomes highlighted two main shortcomings: i) a low taxonomic accuracy of official databases due to the presence of sequences attributed to wrong species ; (ii) a significant underestimation of L. guentheri presence in the Mediterranean Sea. This study, therefore, underlines the necessity to improve the databases accuracy in term of deposited sequences reliability. In this specific case, accuracy is even more important, considering the involved toxic species and the potential concern for public health associated with their accidental entering in the seafood chain.

The purpose of this study was to develop a rapid method based on a real-time PCR assay designed to identify the presence of pufferfish in roasted fish fillet. Specific primers and probes were designed targeting Takifugu spp. and Lagocephalus spp., the most common genera in China. Specificity and sensitivity of this assay design were tested by using artificially spikes of pufferfish mixed in with other fish, such as Gadus and Thamnaconus septentrionalis,among others. Fifteen samples of retail roasted fish fillet and six samples from a 1999 poisoning event that occurred in Fujian province China were analysed for pufferfish. When the assay design was validated, no cross-reaction was observed between pufferfish and other species of fish. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined to be 0.001 ng pufferfish template, and the sensitivity of the method was 1%. Lagocephalus lunari was detected in six samples assayed from 1999 and no pufferfish was detected in the 15 retail roasted fish fillet samples tested. These results showed that the method was efficient for screening for pufferfish contamination in the roasted fish fillet and it could benefit public health protection by reducing the risk of tetrodotoxin poisoning.

Lagocephalus lunaris (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) Material examined. MALAYSIA • 1, 67 mm TL; Kedah State, Kuala Kedah, Kuala Muda Whispering Market; 05.578°N, 100.341°E; 6 Dec. 2018; Danial H. Zainal Abidin, Norli F.M.A.H. Alshari leg.; USMFC (40) 00005. • 2, 72– 102 mm TL; Kedah State, Kuala Kedah, Kuala Muda Whispering Market; 05.578°N, 100.341°E; 6 Dec. 2018; Danial H. Zainal Abidin, Norli F.M.A.H. Alshari leg.; USMFC (40) 00004. • 1, 154 mm TL; Kedah State, Merbok, Pompang Sungai Merbok; 05.664°N, 100.381°E; 6 Dec. 2018; Danial H. Zainal Abidin, Norli F.M.A.H. Alshari leg.; USMFC (40) 00007. • 3, 120– 142 mm TL; Kedah State, Kuala Kedah, Kuala Muda Whispering Market; 05.578°N, 100.341°E; 19 Mar. 2019; Danial H. Zainal Abidin, Norli F.M.A.H. Alshari leg.; USMFC (40) 00008., Published as part of Zainal Abidin, Danial Hariz, Lavoué, Sébastien, Mohd Abu Hassan Alshari, Norli Fauzani, Mohd. Nor, Siti Azizah, A. Rahim, Masazurah & Mohammed Akib, Noor Adelyna, 2021, Ichthyofauna of Sungai Merbok Mangrove Forest Reserve, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, and its adjacent marine waters, pp. 601-631 in Check List 17 (2) on page 628, DOI: 10.15560/17.2.601

Pufferfish represent a serious threat to the marine ecosystem in the Mediterranean Sea. To better understand the population dynamics of pufferfish and their relation with ecological parameters, six pufferfish species were studied in two fishing and one non-fishing zone in one of the most oligotrophic regions of the Mediterranean Sea during 2014 and 2015, including different habitats of vegetated and non-vegetated and seasons. The results provide information on pufferfish ecological status compared with more eutrophic zones in which these species could potentially worsen their impact. Four species were common in the study area and two were rare. The dominant species was Lagocephalus suezensis , reaching abundances of 11,000 ind/km2 at 25 m in October, followed by Lagocephalus sceleratus , Lagocephalus guentheri , and Torquigener flavimaculosus . The rarest species, Tylerius spinosissimus and Sphoeroides pachygaster , reached higher abundance and biomass in October and February than the other sampling months. The riverine and meadow habitats played a crucial role for nursing and reproduction in the population dynamics of Lagocephalus species, while T. flavimaculosus was absent in these areas. Sex ratios changed depending on season and location. The occurrence of larger individuals of Lagocephalus spp. and T. flavimaculosus at greater depths evidenced an ontogenetic migration. Overall, length-weight (L-W) relationships indicate isometric growth for each of the species studied. Pufferfish populations were primarily a function of habitat and depth of seafloor and secondarily with water productivity.

Pufferfish are some of the most poisonous marine organisms due to their capability to accumulate potent neurotoxins such as tetrodotoxins (TTXs) and paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs). Several species are consumed, mainly in Asiatic countries, for the quality of their flesh, which may cause severe human poisoning every year due to errors in preparation. Lagocephalus lagocephalus the oceanic pufferfish, is a cosmopolitan species present in European Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. Although considered toxic, only a few studies have previously addressed the occurrence of toxic compounds in this species. In the present study, 29 individuals of L. lagocephalus caught in Madeira Island (NE Atlantic) were dissected and analysed by HPLC-FLD for PSTs detection. Saxitoxin (STX) and decarbamoyl STX (dcSTX) were detected in liver, intestine and gonads but not in the muscle. Neosaxitoxin (NEO) could also be detected in a liver sample. The total STX equivalent (eq) concentrations in liver ranged from < LOQ to 973.4 μg STX eq kg−1. The presence of toxins in the intestines and gonads points to the fish capability to acquire toxins through feeding or by association with endosymbiotic, toxin-producing microbes as well as the ability to accumulate them in specific organs. Although pufferfish trade in Europe is forbidden by European Union regulations, the increasing occurrence of this species in new areas and the expected raise of blooms of PSTs-producer organisms claims for a better knowledge on oceanic pufferfish toxicity and biology. This will be needed to provide accurate information to stakeholders and population to prevent illegal trade of these species and poisoning incidents. PTDC/CTA-AMB/30557/2017; European Commission: Lisboa-01-0145-feder-030557; FCT: UIDB/Multi/04326/2020. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Linnaeus 1758) ���Oceanic puffer Taxonomy. New record from Lebanon based on a specimen landed from off Beirut (29 June 2010). Material in collection: AUBM (OS2385). Distribution. Circumglobal in tropical and temperate seas. Conservation. IUCN: Global (LC: 8 June 2011); Med. (LC: 15 November 2007). Capture and threats: Unknown. Occurrence: Rare. Low priority for conservation action. Zeiformes, Published as part of Bariche, Michel & Fricke, Ronald, 2020, The marine ichthyofauna of Lebanon: an annotated checklist, history, biogeography, and conservation status, pp. 1-157 in Zootaxa 4775 (1) on page 114, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4775.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3983887

Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin 1789) ���Silver-cheeked toadfish Taxonomy. First record from Lebanon as Lagocephalus sceleratus by Carpentieri et al. (2009: 3); subsequently recorded as Lagocephalus sceleratus by Nader et al. (2012); subsequently recorded as Lagocephalus sceleratus by Bariche et al. (2015: 2366) and by Fanelli et al. (2015: 2169). Material in collection: AUBM. Distribution. Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Socotra, Seychelles, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Philippines, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia; Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Marmara (Red Sea immigrant). Conservation. IUCN: Global (LC: 8 June 2011). Capture and threats: Unknown. Occurrence: Very common. Significant increase in the last two decades. Non-indigenous species, no conservation action needed., Published as part of Bariche, Michel & Fricke, Ronald, 2020, The marine ichthyofauna of Lebanon: an annotated checklist, history, biogeography, and conservation status, pp. 1-157 in Zootaxa 4775 (1) on pages 149-150, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4775.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3983887, {"references":["Carpentieri, P., Lelli, S., Colloca, F., Mohanna, C., Bartolino, V., Moubayed, S. & Ardizzone, G. D. (2009) Incidence of lessepsian migrants on landings of the artisanal fishery of south Lebanon. Marine Biodiversity Records, 2, e 71. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 1755267209000645","Nader, M., Indary, S. & Boustany, L. (2012) FAO EastMed The Puffer Fish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin 1789) in the Eastern Mediterranean. EastMed Technical Documents, GCP / INT / 041 / EC-GRE-ITA / TD- 10, 33 pp.","Bariche, M., Torres, M., Smith, C., Sayar, N., Azzurro, E., Baker, R. & Bernardi, G. (2015) Red Sea fishes in the Mediterranean Sea: a preliminary investigation of a biological invasion using DNA barcoding. Journal of Biogeography, 42 (12), 2363 - 2373. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / jbi. 12595","Fanelli, E., Azzurro, E., Bariche, M., Cartes, J. E. & Maynou, F. (2015) Depicting the novel Eastern Mediterranean food web: a stable isotopes study following Lessepsian fish invasion. Biological Invasions, 17, 2163 - 2178. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10530 - 015 - 0868 - 5"]}

Lagocephalus suezensis Clark & Gohar 1953 ���Suez pufferfish Taxonomy. First record from Lebanon as Lagocephalus sceleratus (Forster) by Mouneimn�� (1977: 66); subsequently recorded as Lagocephalus sceleratus (Forster 1774) by Mouneimn�� (2002: 244���245); recently recorded as Lagocephalus suezensis by Carpentieri et al. (2009: 3); as Lagocephalus suezensis by Bariche et al. (2015: 2366); as Lagocephalus suezensis by Fanelli et al. (2015: 2169). Material in collection: AUBM. Distribution. Red Sea endemic: Gulf of Suez; Mediterranean Sea (Red Sea immigrant). Red Sea to northern Australia, northward to southern Japan. Conservation. IUCN: Global (LC: 8 June 2011). Capture and threats: Unknown. Occurrence: Common. Nonindigenous species, no conservation action needed., Published as part of Bariche, Michel & Fricke, Ronald, 2020, The marine ichthyofauna of Lebanon: an annotated checklist, history, biogeography, and conservation status, pp. 1-157 in Zootaxa 4775 (1) on page 149, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4775.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3983887, {"references":["Mouneimne, N. (1977) Liste des poissons de la cote du Liban (Mediterranee orientale). Cybium, 3 (1), 37 - 66.","Mouneimne, N. (2002) Poissons marins du Liban et de la Mediterranee orientale. INCAM-EU / CNRS Lebanon, Beyrouth, 271 pp.","Carpentieri, P., Lelli, S., Colloca, F., Mohanna, C., Bartolino, V., Moubayed, S. & Ardizzone, G. D. (2009) Incidence of lessepsian migrants on landings of the artisanal fishery of south Lebanon. Marine Biodiversity Records, 2, e 71. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 1755267209000645","Bariche, M., Torres, M., Smith, C., Sayar, N., Azzurro, E., Baker, R. & Bernardi, G. (2015) Red Sea fishes in the Mediterranean Sea: a preliminary investigation of a biological invasion using DNA barcoding. Journal of Biogeography, 42 (12), 2363 - 2373. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / jbi. 12595","Fanelli, E., Azzurro, E., Bariche, M., Cartes, J. E. & Maynou, F. (2015) Depicting the novel Eastern Mediterranean food web: a stable isotopes study following Lessepsian fish invasion. Biological Invasions, 17, 2163 - 2178. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10530 - 015 - 0868 - 5"]}

Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro 1915 ���Diamondback puffer Taxonomy. First record from Lebanon as Lagocephalus spadiceus (Richardson 1844) by George et al. (1964: 25); subsequently recorded as by Mouneimn�� (1977: 66); as Lagocephalus spadiceus (Rchardson 1844) by Mouneimn�� (2002: 245���246); recently recorded as Lagocephalus spadiceus by Carpentieri et al. (2009: 3); as Lagocephalus spadiceus by Bariche et al. (2015: 2366); as Lagocephalus spadiceus by Fanelli et al. (2015: 2169). Material in collection: AUBM, BMNH and USNM (as L. spadiceus). Distribution. Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: South Africa, Madagascar and Persian Gulf east to Indonesia, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia; Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Marmara (Red Sea immigrant). Conservation. IUCN: Global (LC: 8 June 2011). Capture and threats: Unknown. Occurrence: Very common. Non-indigenous species, no conservation action needed., Published as part of Bariche, Michel & Fricke, Ronald, 2020, The marine ichthyofauna of Lebanon: an annotated checklist, history, biogeography, and conservation status, pp. 1-157 in Zootaxa 4775 (1) on pages 150-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4775.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3983887, {"references":["George, C. J., Athanassiou, V. A. & Boulos, I. (1964) The fishes of the coastal waters of Lebanon. Miscellaneous Papers in the Natural Sciences. The American University of Beirut, 4, 1 - 24.","Mouneimne, N. (1977) Liste des poissons de la cote du Liban (Mediterranee orientale). Cybium, 3 (1), 37 - 66.","Mouneimne, N. (2002) Poissons marins du Liban et de la Mediterranee orientale. INCAM-EU / CNRS Lebanon, Beyrouth, 271 pp.","Carpentieri, P., Lelli, S., Colloca, F., Mohanna, C., Bartolino, V., Moubayed, S. & Ardizzone, G. D. (2009) Incidence of lessepsian migrants on landings of the artisanal fishery of south Lebanon. Marine Biodiversity Records, 2, e 71. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 1755267209000645","Bariche, M., Torres, M., Smith, C., Sayar, N., Azzurro, E., Baker, R. & Bernardi, G. (2015) Red Sea fishes in the Mediterranean Sea: a preliminary investigation of a biological invasion using DNA barcoding. Journal of Biogeography, 42 (12), 2363 - 2373. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / jbi. 12595","Fanelli, E., Azzurro, E., Bariche, M., Cartes, J. E. & Maynou, F. (2015) Depicting the novel Eastern Mediterranean food web: a stable isotopes study following Lessepsian fish invasion. Biological Invasions, 17, 2163 - 2178. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10530 - 015 - 0868 - 5"]}

This study investigates how age at first maturity of two tropical amphidromous spe‐cies Sicyopterus lagocephalus (Pallas, 1770) and Cotylopus acutipinnis (Guichenot, 1863) varies in relation to their larval and juvenile life history. Reproductive stage was estimated based on histological observation of ovaries of more than 200 females of each species caught monthly over 1 year. The age of fish was estimated by interpret‐ing the daily increments deposited on otoliths during the oceanic larval phase, and the juvenile phase in the river. The age at first maturity was approximately 9 months for S. lagocephalus and 7 months for C. acutipinnis, corresponding to approximately 70–130 and 90–130 days after they returned to freshwater respectively. For both species, the time spent in freshwater before maturity was significantly influenced by the duration of the pelagic larval stage at sea (PLD) and the season of return in freshwater. Individuals with a long PLD, or returning in freshwater during the warmer season, maturated faster once in freshwater. This reproductive advantage may mini‐mise the risk of extirpation due to catastrophic events at each generation and thus probably benefits amphidromous species living in very unpredictable tropical rivers.

Several pufferfish species belonging to the Tetraodontidae family are currently present in the Mediterranean Sea. Since 2013 Lagocephalus sceleratus is increasingly reported also along Italian coasts, where other two species of less concern, Lagocephalus lagocephalus and Sphoeroides pachygaster, have also occured since a long time. This study represents one of the first attempts to sistematically describe the occurrence in the Mediterranean, and in particular along Italian coasts, of the three aforesaid species, in order to characterize an emerging public health hazard. Reports were searched in scientific articles and dedicated online databases. The following data were collected: number of specimens and type of record, geographical location and date of report, fish size, depth and type of seabed. Overall, at least 111079 individuals of the three species were found in the Mediterranean Sea, including 110237 specimens of L. sceleratus (since 2003), 126 of L. lagocephalus (1878–2017) and 716 of S. pachygaster (1979–2017). The evident differences confirm the invasive character of the toxic Lessepsian immigrant L. sceleratus, the species of main public health concern. Despite this species was recorded along Italian coasts in low numbers (0.08% of the total individuals of L. sceleratus) and its current distribution is limited to southern regions, the picture could change rapidly. Moreover, the collected data show that most L. sceleratus specimens have a large size and are mainly caught by commercial fishing gears. These factors may increase the risk of this species entering the seafood chain with serious consequences for consumers’ health. Results suggest that the presence of L. sceleratus should be strictly monitored. Institutional measures should be implemented to inform people as regards a new hazard that has the potential to affect the Italian seafood chain.

Although consumption of Tetraodontidae species is prohibited in the EU, intoxications are still reported. The evaluation of tetrodotoxins (TTXs) by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS) and a screening immunoassay (mELISA) in tetraodontid fishes caught along the Western Mediterranean Sea revealed high concentrations of TTXs in Lagocephalus sceleratus while no TTXs were identified in L. lagocephalus and Sphoeroides pachygaster individuals. The high TTXs content found in the L. sceleratus analysed herein demonstrate the occurrence of highly toxic puffer fish in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Being L. sceleratus a recent invasive species in the Mediterranean, surveillance, risk assessment and risk management measures are necessary. The strategy used within this research work could be a valuable tool for future food safety monitoring. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) through the ECsafeSEAFOOD project (grant agreement no. 311820), the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA) through the PROMAQUA project (RTA2013-00096-00-00) and CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. L.R. acknowledges a scholarship from the ECsafeSEAFOOD project.

Lagocephalus inermis is at a high risk of extinction and is listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. To better protect this species, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of L. inermis was first determined in this study. The mitogenome of L. inermis is 16,493 nucleotides, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 2 main non-coding regions. The overall base composition is T 24.9%, C 31.0%, A 27.7%, and G 16.4%, with a slight A + T bias of 52.6%. In addition, the mitogenome of L. inermis is similar to most bony fishes. The central conserved sequence blocks (CSB-1, CSB-2, and CSB-3) and the core sequence (ACATATATGT) of terminal-associated sequences were recognized in the control region. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis showed that L. inermis clustered in a clade and formed a sister relationship with other species belonging to Lagocephalus.

The silver-cheeked toad fish, Lagocephalus scleratus, was recorded for the first time on 25 September 2014. Two specimens of this fish species were collected from the by-catch landed by a commercial deep-sea trawler at Kasimedu Fishing Harbour, Chennai coast, Southeast India. The morphometric and meristic characters of the recorded specimens are described and discussed. The specimen was compared with earlier reports.

The presence in EU waters of invasive tetrodotoxin (TTX) -harbouring puffer fishes has been receiving increasingly attention due to potential new threats posed by this potent neurotoxin. The present study investigates the occurrence of tetrodotoxin, saxitoxin (STX), and their analogues in two native puffer fish species from the NE Atlantic. High TTX content was detected by LC-MS/MS in several tissues of the Guinean puffer Sphoeroides marmoratus from Madeira Island (Portugal), reaching concentrations as high as 15 mg TTX kg(-1) in the digestive tract of a male specimen and 7.4 mg TTX kg(-1) in gonads of a female specimen. Several TTX analogues were also detected, including the 4-epi-TTX, 4,9-Anhydro-TTX, 5- 11- deoxyTTX and 6,11-dideoxyTTX. Although at low levels, STX was detected in liver of the Oceanic puffer Lagocephalus lagocephalus. Trace levels of decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) were also observed in L. lagocephalus. This study reports the presence of TTX and STX in native fish from EU waters, highlighting the need for a proper understating of the origin, distribution and fate of these toxins in NE Atlantic. SNMB-INOV Operational Program Mar 2020, Portugal 2020 project Cigua - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [PTDC/CTA-AMB/30557/2017] project Cigua - FEDER [PTDC/CTA-AMB/30557/2017] FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UID/Multi/04326/2019]

Lagocephalus gloveri Abe and Tabeta 1983 is shown to be a junior synonym of Tetrodon cheesemanii Clarke 1897 based on examination of morphological characters and DNA analysis of specimens collected from the western North Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Lagocephalus cheesemanii is distinguished from other species of Lagocephalus by the following combination of characters: spinules on the back in a rhomboidal patch extending from the region between the nasal organ to the posterior part of the pectoral fin; caudal fin double emarginate with middle rays posteriorly produced; dorsal-fin rays 11–15; anal-fin rays 11–14; pectoral-fin rays 15–18; vertebrae 8+11=19; dorsal half of the body dark brown to brownish black; caudal fin dark brown to black with dorsal and ventral white tips. A neotype of L. cheesemanii is designated.

Pufferfish, Lagocephalus sceleratus, L. suezensis and L. spadiceus, are widely distributed Lessepsian species along the Turkish and other eastern Mediterranean coasts. L. sceleratus is considered one of the worst invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea and recently caused human intoxication by accidental consumption. Therefore, methods to assess pufferfish toxicity and accurately identify toxic pufferfish are important for food safety. Firstly, 20 specimens of L. sceleratus were collected from the eastern Mediterranean coasts of Turkey. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) content was determined among different tissues (muscle, liver, gonad, kidney, intestine and skin) by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All of the specimens contained TTX. The highest TTX concentration was detected in the ovary (80.0 µg TTX/g), followed by the intestine (48.8 µg TTX/g), kidney (34.0 µg TTX/g) and liver (25.4 µg TTX/g). The flesh and testis contained detectable amounts of TTX (3.4 µg TTX/g and 2.6 µg TTX/g, respectively). TTX analogs were also detected in the tissues, with 4,9-anhydro-5,6,11-trideoxyTTX and 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX being the major analog. A species-specific PCR method was developed to identify three species of genus Lagocephalus based on the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 2 or cytochrome oxidase subunit I regions of the mitochondrial DNA of L. sceleratus, L. suezensis, and L. spadiceus. The designed primers amplified only DNA of target species and not those of other fish and shellfish species. The species-specific PCR method successfully identified these pufferfish species and could be applied to thermally treated products of the pufferfish with only 1 ng of extracted DNA.

The diet and the feeding habits of the common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the Pacific coast of Ecuador was assessed by examining 320 stomachs of individuals ranging from 51 to 149 cm in total length. Fish was the predominant prey group in the diet (Alimentary Index, %AI = 95.39) followed by cephalopods (%AI = 4.13) and crustaceans (%AI = 0.48). Among the 17 prey items that make up the dolphinfish diet, the Exocoetidae family was the most important prey (%AI = 57.13),Dosidicus gigasbeing the most abundant invertebrate species (%AI = 7.65). Feeding patterns were evaluated using the graphing method of Amundsen, which suggested that this species shows a varying degree of specialization on different prey taxa. Thus, while some species were unimportant and rare (Hippocampus hippocampus, Lagocephalus lagocephalus, Gobiidae andArgonautasp.), several dolphinfishes showed a high degree of specialization on Scombridae,Pleuroncodes planipes, Portunus xantusiiandOpisthonema libertate. Size-related and temporal shifts in dietary composition were investigated by PERMANOVA analysis, which showed wide variations among size classes and periods of capture. The results of this study indicate that the common dolphinfish is an opportunistic feeder, which is capable of consuming a wide variety of schooling epipelagic organisms.

The spatial variability of S. lagocephalus post-larval traits, in February 2015, was investigated through comparison of pelagic larval duration (PLD), standard length (SL), body mass (BM) and condition factor among 6 rivers around Reunion Island. The variability of the same traits was also investigated within a recruitment event in another river, in January 2015. Our results showed homogeneity of the PLD both between sites during the recruitment of February 2015, and during the recruitment event of January 2015 at a given site. The other traits were different between the eastern and the western rivers. The post-larvae from the East were characterised by higher BM and condition factor whereas on the West they were longer. These differences can be explained by different environmental conditions experienced by larvae in the coastal oceanic water before they entered the river, but also by different migration routes during their marine dispersal. The coastal water on the eastern side, more turbid and probably trophically richer, could have induced a better growth of the post-larvae compared to those at the same age on the western side. A singularity was highlighted concerning the Marsouins River, located East of the island, where post-larvae were at a more advanced stage of their metamorphosis, characterised by both a smaller size and a lighter weight. This particularity was related to the location of the fishermen trapnet, positioned farther up river compared to all the other rivers, either West or East of the island.

Pufferfish may be responsible for human intoxications due to the accumulation of a potentially lethal neurotoxin, called tetrodotoxin (TTX). While traditionally some species of pufferfish are consumed in Japan, their marketing is banned in the EU. However, their illegal presence in mislabelled products has been reported. Moreover, some species of the genus Lagocephalus spread in the Mediterranean Sea during the last decades due to the Lessepsian migration phenomenon and they may represent a significant emerging risk within the European seafood chain. This study aimed at finding a suitable molecular marker for quickly identifying Lagocephalus species in fresh and processed products. All available sequences of COI and cytb mitochondrial genes were used to create different length datasets (long and short fragments) to be used to produce NJ trees depicting genetic relationships for Lagocephalus spp. On the basis of its higher variability, cytb gene was selected as the molecular target and 17 new complete sequences of 6 Lagocephalus species, deriving from reference samples, were produced and included in the datasets. Then, a primer pair for amplifying a 130bp cytb polymorphic fragment from all of the Lagocephalus spp. was designed for identifying sixteen mislabelled commercial products containing pufferfish with degraded DNA. Cytb dataset's phylogenetic analysis supported the most recent species classification of the Lagocephalus genus and highlighted the presence of toxic L. spadiceus in the products. The analysis of the proposed short fragment could represent a reliable tool to protect European consumers from the emerging risk associated to toxic Lagocephalus spp.

International audience; Otolith microchemistry can provide crucial information to address gaps of knowledge in spatio-temporal ecology of fish species. However, understanding the seasonal variability of water chemistry and its effect on otolith signatures is needed to interpret fish movements. Otolith multi-elemental signatures were used to examine the diadromous migration and small-scale movements of a tropical goby (Sicyopterus lagocephalus) within a watershed in La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean. The elemental ratios Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca and Sr:Ba recorded monthly in the water of nine sampling sites varied between localities and were correlated with otolith signatures, whereas the Mg:Ca signature was not. The incorporation of some trace elements in otoliths was influenced by the size of fish and site where they were caught, reflecting an effect of endogenous and exogenous factors. Despite these sources of variation, the elemental signatures did not overlap for three river sections distributed along the 26-km-long watershed. The diadromous migration and fish lifetime movements between these river sections were reconstructed using an original process based on random forest analysis. This approach revealed distinct migratory behaviours after fish entered in the river, with some individuals progressing slowly in the watershed whereas other rapidly reached the upper localities. As adults, S. lagocephalus showed a restricted exploratory behaviour and a strong site fidelity to a particular part of the watershed. The detection of adult movement was typically only between adjacent locations and is possibly explained by shifts in local intraspecific hierarchies and/or displacement during extreme discharge caused by cyclones.

Lagocephalus lagocephalus is one of genus Lagocephalus and widely distributed in tropical and temperate oceans. In this study, we described the complete mitochondrial genome of L. lagocephalus. The...

This paper reviews aspects of the biology of copepods infecting marine fish commercially cultured at fish farms or held as broodstock at governmental hatcheries in Japan. In total, 20 species of parasitic copepods have been reported from these fish: they are mostly caligids (12 spp.), followed by lernaeopodids (4 spp.), pennellid (1 sp.), chondracanthid (1 sp.), taeniacanthid (1 sp.), and unidentified species (1 sp.). The identified copepods are: Caligus fugu, C. lagocephalus, C. lalandei, C. latigenitalis, C. longipedis, C. macarovi, C. orientalis, C. sclerotinosus, C. spinosus, Lepeophtheirus longiventralis, L. paralichthydis, L. salmonis (Caligidae); Alella macrotrachelus, Clavella parva, Parabrachiella hugu, P. seriolae (Lernaeopodidae); Peniculus minuticaudae (Pennellidae); Acanthochondria priacanthi (Chondracanthidae); and Biacanthus pleuronichthydis (Taeniacanthidae). The fish recorded as hosts include carangids (4 spp.), sparids (2 spp.), monacanthids (2 spp.), salmonids (2 spp.), scombrid (1 sp.)...

In a 24 hr period during 23–25 December 1975, I documented a minimum of 282 dead individuals of Oceanic Puffer Lagocephalus lagocephalus that had washed ashore on the remote South Atlantic island of Trindade, 1200 km east of the coast of Brazil. All of the more than 50 individuals for which I determined the sex had been reproductively active males. The locality is much farther south than the species has been previously recorded in the western Atlantic. I present evidence from ephemeral sources that report similar die-offs of Lagocephalus lagocephalus in the Hawaiian Islands and Fanning Atoll in the Pacific, and the Gulf of Guinea and Gabon in the eastern Atlantic for which, unfortunately, no scientific details, such as the sex of the individuals or other information that could explain cause of death, appears to have been published. The Trindade observation suggests that mass mortalities of this puffer may be associated with reproductive swarms.

In Turkish marine waters, pufferfish belongs to Tetraondontidae family are represented with 8 species, Lagocephalus lagocephalus, L. sceleratus, L. spadiceus, L. suezensis, L. guentheri, Sphoeroides pachygaster, Torquigener flavimaculosus and Tylerius spinosissimus. DNA barcoding can be useful in the assessment of cryptic or morphologically similar species of identification which is widespread in marine environment. DNA barcode identification of the eight puffer species of the Tetraodontidae family in Turkish marine waters were examined by using mtDNA sequencing of the amplified partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. COI contained 189 variable and 337 conservative nucleotides of which 183 were parsimony informative over 526 bp. Mean genetic diversity all species was found 0.18164. The highest and lowest nucleotide divergence was observed L.spadiceus (0.0022) and between L. sceleratus, L. suezensis, L. lagocephalus, L. guentheri and S. pachygaster (0.0000) respectively. The number of detected different haplotypes were 10 out of 23 sequences, and haplotype diversity was found to be 1.000.&nbsp

WOS: 000405112800016

A morphological and metrical observation of small spines and their basements of 169 individuals belonging to 5 genera and 15 species of puffer fishes were performed to establish a practical identification in the food sanitary monitoring. According to the morphological observation for total 1,106 specimens derived from the individuals, characteristics of combination patterns of number of front and back roots of the structures were divided into 5 groups, and the morphological pattern observed in each group was almost accorded with each fish generic level. Especially, characteristics of the morphological and metrical records of the small spines and their basements were shown with the fish species.

A multiplex PCR assay was developed to identify widespread poison-containing puffer fishes of the genus Lagocephalus: L. lunaris, L. spadiceus and L. inermis, using a novel KUGEN_ILSspec primer set which is specific for 12S ribosomal RNA (12S rRNA) and Cytochrome b (Cyt b) genes. KUGEN_ILSspec set is composed of fish positive-amplified primers that produced a 289-bp fragment while L. lunaris-, L. spadiceus- and L. inermis-specific primers produced 123-, 196- and 493-bp fragments, respectively. The sensitivity of this primer set was found to be high as it was capable of amplifying targeted DNA at concentrations as low as 1 ng/μL. Moreover, the primer set was shown to amplify intact DNA and species-specific fragments from heat-processed food. Consequently, multiplex PCR technique in combination with KUGEN_ILSspec primer set could offer an effective measure for detecting poisonous puffer fish contamination in both fresh and processed fish products, which will greatly aid in public health control and law enfo...

Nematoda parasites of five greenling species from the Far-Eastern Seas ( Pleurogrammus azonus , P . monopterygius , Hexagrammos octogrammus , H . lagocephalus , H . stelleri ) are investigated. The family Hexagrammidae is endemic for the North Pacific. In total, 10 species of nematodes are found: Anisakis simplex l., Pseudoterranova decipiens l., Hysterothylacium aduncum , Contracaecum osculatum l., Ascarophis filiformis , A. curvicauda , A. pacifica , Cucullanellus minutus , Cucullanus heterochrous , and Paracapillaria helenae , all of them have wide geographical and hosts distribution. Anisakis simplex l. and Pseudoterranova decipiens l. are the most common for all investigated host species. The highest species diversity of nematodes (7 species) is registered for arabesque greenling P. azonus , particularly its females; Contracaecum osculatum l. and Cucullanus heterochrous are found for the first time for this host in the Japan Sea. The parasites are dispersed irregularly in muscles of all parts of fish body. Large-sized (i.e. elder) fish is higher infected by larvae of P. decipiens .

The anatomy of the gas bladder of Diodontidae (porcupinefishes) and Tetraodontidae (pufferfishes) was studied on the basis of dissections and magnetic resonance imaging. Among the examined taxa of Tetraodontiformes, only puffers and porcupinefishes possess a thick walled and dorsally U-shaped or crescent-moon-shaped gas bladder. In the tetraodontid genus Lagocephalus the gas bladder is reduced to a rudiment. The species belonging to the genera Canthigaster, Arothron, and some species of Tetraodon differ in the positioning of their crescent-moon-shaped gas bladder. These observations confirm the close relationship of: (i) Diodontidae and Tetraodontidae and (ii) Canthigaster, Arothron, and some species of Tetraodon. The heterogeneity of the genus Tetraodon is supported by the gas bladder morphology, as previously suggested by molecular studies.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Lagocephalus sceleratus was determined. The complete mitochondrial genome was 16,444 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and two non-coding region (the control region and the origin of light strand replication). The overall base composition was A 27.59%, C 31.43%, G 17.12%, T 23.85%. All protein-coding genes started with an ATG initiation codon, except COI used GTG. With the exception of ND6 and eight tRNA genes, all other genes were encoded on the heavy strand. Additionally, the phylogenetic relationship of 37 Tetraodontidae species based on the complete genome was analyzed, and the result showed that L. sceleratus was clustered with other Lagocephalus species. These results would be useful for the investigation of phylogenetic relationship, taxonomic classification and phylogeography of the Tetraodontidae.

Island freshwater habitats are colonised by amphidromous fish, which display an oceanic larval phase while the rest of their life cycle takes place in rivers. In the present study we evaluated the population structure of the widespread Sicyopterus lagocephalus (Gobioidei) over its Indo-Pacific distribution range, which encompasses the island chain (Indonesia − Papua New Guinea − Malaysia) known as the Indo-Pacific Barrier (IPB). Additional analysis of 2 endemic species, S. aiensis (Vanuatu) and S. sarasini (New Caledonia), living in sympatry with S. lagocephalus, represented comparative material and was used as the basis for an assessment of endemism and dispersal. Mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence data were obtained for 332 S. lagocephalus, 210 S. aiensis and 87 S. sarasini across each species’ range. Haplotype networks and F-statistics were used to determine patterns of population structure. A discrete phylogeographic diffusion model under a time-scaled coalescent tree prior was used to assess the history of the spatial expansion of S. lagocephalus across its wide spatial distribution. S. lagocephalus demonstrates high population structure across the IPB. It also displays a strong structure between Tahiti and all other locations sampled. No other population structure was identified in the entire western Pacific. Phylogenetic reconstruction and coalescence analysis indicate that the oldest population originated in the western Pacific, from which the eastern Pacific and the Indian Oceans were colonised. For the 2 endemic species, no genetic structure was identified across their respective ranges. From the genetic results associated with known elements of the life history of these species, we improved our understanding of the simultaneous existence of geographically close endemic species and a widespread species.

The aerial parts of Artemisia campestris are often used in Tunisian poisoning cases and are known to possess significant antioxidant activities. The objective of this study is to evaluate the protective effects of an aqueous extract (5 g/l) of A. campestris leaves and stems (AE), on oxidative damages induced by liver extract (LT) from poisonous fish Lagocephalus lagocephalus in wistar rats. AE was found to contain large amounts of K + , Na + , Ca ++ and significant antioxidant capacities highlighted by high level of polyphenols and scavenging activities for DPPH and superoxide anion. LT-injected rats (1 ml/100 g body wt) for 10 days showed (1) a reduced appetite and diarrhea resulting in a lower growth rate than controls, (2) a decrease in serum ALT and AST activities suggesting liver functional disorders, (3) an increase of serum urea and creatinine and reduced serum sodium and potassium concentrations highlighting renal insufficiency and (4) an oxidative stress as evidenced by the raise of TBARS and the inhibition of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities in liver, kidney and brain tissues Absorption of AE as a drink, for 20 days (10 pre-treatment days+10 experiment days) did not lead significant change of studied parameters but prevented all the disorders induced by LT.

Resume Introduction Les cas de neurotoxicite par ingestion de poissons semblent etre un phenomene nouveau en mer Mediterranee. Nous rapportons un cas de coma profond areactif reversible apres ingestion d’abats de poisson. Observation Un homme, âge de 80 ans, fumeur, aux antecedents d’infarctus cerebral posterieur, fut admis aux urgences pour une deterioration rapide de l’etat neurologique, avec picotements peribuccaux, dysarthrie, quadriparesie, abolition des reflexes du tronc cerebral associes a une detresse respiratoire et une instabilite hemodynamique. L’etat du patient commenca a s’ameliorer au bout de 20 heures, avec un retour a l’etat neurologique de base en 36 heures. En reprenant l’anamnese, il fut etabli que les troubles avaient commence apres l’ingestion d’abats d’un poisson toxique, le Lagocephalus scleratus . Discussion La tetrodotoxine bloque les canaux sodiques voltage-sensibles, empechant la production du potentiel d’action et sa propagation. Cette toxine est concentree dans le foie, les gonades, les intestins et la peau du poisson Lagocephalus scleratus qui est bien connu au Japon (ou sa chair est tres appreciee) et en Asie du Sud-Est et qui semble avoir migre recemment en mer Mediterranee. Il n’y a pas d’antidote connu a la tetrodotoxine, mais une prise en charge reanimatoire rapide peut sauver le patient.

The toxicity of five species of puffer fish, Arothron firmamentum (Byeolbok), Lagocephalus gloveri (Heukmilbok), L. wheeleri (Eunmilbok), L. inermis (Minmilbok) and L. lunaris (Milbok), collected from fish markets in Korea, was determined using a mouse bioassay. In A. firmamentum, the proportion of toxic specimens containing >10 MU/g was 87.5% in the ovaries, and 10.0% in the skin; no toxicity was detected in the muscle, fin, liver, intestine and gallbladder using the mouse bioassay. The highest toxin levels were found to be 87 MU/g in the ovaries, and 13 MU/g in the skin. Toxic specimens containing >10 MU/g were not detected from samples taken from any of the organs in L. wheeleri and L. inermis. In L. gloveri, most specimens were found to be non-toxic, but toxin levels of 11-72 MU/g were detected from within the skin, fins, and intestines in one specimen. In L. lunaris, the proportion of toxic specimens was 50.0% in the ovaries, and 7.1% in the gallbladder; no toxicity was detected in the other organs by the mouse bioassay. The highest toxin levels were 75 MU/g in the ovaries, and 14 MU/g in the gallbladder. Therefore, the toxicities of edible muscle and skin in the five species of puffer fish marketed in Korea were found to be within acceptable levels for human consumption.