Lagocephalus inermis ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1850 )

Veeruraj, Anguchamy, Arumugam, Muthuvel, Ajithkumar, Thangappan & Balasubramanian, Thangavel, 2011, Distribution of Tetraodontiformes (Family: Tetraodontidae) along the Parangipettai Coast, Southeast coast of India, Zootaxa 3015, pp. 1-12 : 4

Lagocephalus inermis ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1850)

Smooth blaasop

( Fig.3).

Tetraodon inermis

Common name. Smooth backed blowfish

Habitat. Demersal, Brackish water, Marine and Oceanodromous.

Colour. Head and body dark grayish green above dorsal region. A silvery white band running longitudinally along mid-lateral body from mouth to caudal fin base and ventral surface is milky white. The gill opening black internally; peritoneum pale gray; caudal fin dark distally with white margin.

Geographical distribution. This species is widely distributed in the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea from South Africa to southern Japan and Algoa Bay (Indo-West Pacific).

Description of species. Dorsal rays (total): 13–14; Pectoral soft spines: 16-16; anal soft spines: 11–12; caudal soft spines: 9

Body elongate with broad head and body. Dorsal part of body without prickles; belly covered with prickles. Greenish or dark grey above and silvery white below. This species is distinguished from other Lagocephalus species by its black gill opening.

Biology and fishery. Epibenthic, mainly marine, occasionally enters estuaries. Found on the shelf edge. Closely resembles the Atlantic species L. laevigatus which reaches southern Angola. Max length 85.0 cm SL male/ unsexed generally caught with trawls.

Remarks. Absence of spinules on dorsal surface and the black colouration of the gill opening differentiate this species from the L.lunaris .

Not edible as flesh of fishes is believed to be poisonous but commonly used as aquarium fishes.