Seventy specimens of the cultured pufferfish Takifugu pseudommus imported from China to Fukuoka Airport between 1994 to 1997 were studied. The external and osteological characters were examined.
The colour of the anal fin of the specimens was almost the same as that of T. rubripes and T. pseudommus. Although no irregular black spots similar to T. rubripes were observed on the body in accord with T. pseudommus, in some specimens (ca. 26%), one or a few black spots behind the ocellated humeral blotch were observed in concordance with the specimen ((59) 1099) collected by the author of the scientific name. According to the key to members of genus Takifugu, the specimen is identified as T. pseudommus.
On the other hand, judging from the external appearance of the cranium and the degree of incurvation of the longitudinal ridge of the frontal, the specimens seem to be both or either T. pseudommus and T. chinensis. But, because the colour of the anal fin, cranial proportion, and number of abdominal vertebrae (8) were different from those of T. chinensis, the specimen was concluded to be T. pseudommus. In addition, the theory that both T. pseudommus and T. chinensis belong to one and the same species was proved to be incorrect. Furthermore, the pufferfish which had been taken for “Nameradamasi” in recent times in Japan is different from T. pseudommus.