Arothron
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
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 White-spotted Puffer, Arothron hispidus | ||||||||||||||
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The genus Arothron, or fat puffers, is a member of the Tetraodontidae family.
In the Tetraodontidae family, there are 18 genera. Arothron is perhaps notable as it is the most commonly kept by marine aquarists. Also it is especially this genus that divers and hobbyists describe as being 'cute, due to their large expressive eyes, the ability to blink and vocalise and their dog-like snouts. The largest of these is the species stellatus which can grow to 48 inches in length.
All species of puffers are highly toxic, containing a lethal poisin called tetrodotoxin, perhaps the most potent toxin in nature; 10,000 times more powerful that cyanide. A dose of 1-2 mg of toxin can be lethal. Reported cases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have documented toxicity with ingestion of as little as 1.4 ounces of puffer fish. Patients with severe toxicity may have deep coma, fixed nonreactive pupils, apnea, and loss of all brain stem reflexes. Death can occur within 4-6 hours. Typically, death occurs from respiratory muscle paralysis and respiratory failure.
Fat puffer species include:
- Poison puffer, Arothron hispidus also known as the white spotted puffer.
- Arothron reticularis, the Reticulated Puffer
- Arothron nigropunctatus, the Blackspotted Puffer
- Arothron meleagris, the Guinea Fowl Puffer
- Arothron mappa, the Map Puffer
- Arothron manilensis, the Narrow-Lined Puffer
- Arothron immaculatus, the Immaculate Puffer
- Arothron diadematus, the Masked Puffer
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