Compilation of Data 
Puffer Fish Lair
Permanently Under Construction as New Data Presents Itself
Tetraodontidae
If you have been around the web sites available,
I'm sure you have noticed a great deal of conflicting information. I cannot
presume to clear the air, but I can provide relevant data offered up for your
perusal for you to draw your own conclusions. I have focused on fresh water
& brackish puffers; I currently have done little research on marine species.
(There are actual books on marine species out there, so there is less need.)
As my research deepens, this section will be updated and possibly contain
new data provided by some of the genome projects that are happening out there
in the world. Genomes are of little use however to those of us with live fish,
since we do not have the technology readily available to get a sample &
have it processed. So, I am working to provide a taxonomy key chart that may
help identify your fish by physical traits, much like a field scientist might
use. This may prove a folly if there are differences so close that an necropsy
is required to make the final determination.
Firstly, I can provide some excerpts from several books in my possession,
of which a couple are out of print and therefore may not be easily found for
research purposes. Also, this means some of the data is out of date, and occasionally
incorrect. I have provided footnotes on certain things I felt necessary. Please
feel free to submit other suggestions.
Footnotes: Use the grey buttons to travel to the footnote. Click on corresponding grey footnote number to travel back to same place in text. Several are referenced in two different excerpts. Use the gray button to travel back to first occurrence, Use the underlined first word of footnote to travel back to second occurrence.