“I was fascinated by the hypothesis that their toxin may be involved in their spawning behavior as a pheromone,” he explained. But as a biologist, he was more intrigued by their spawning behavior. Since childhood, Associate Professor Hideki Abe from the Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences was delighted by the grass puffer’s “charming appearance”. Many people also know grass puffers for their gathering at a specific spot on the evening of high tide in early summer and spawning en masse. But at the same time, many people show affection towards them because of their appearance and a few people even keep them as pets. Grass puffers are a problem for many Japanese recreational anglers as they are considered bycatch that eat bait and break fishing lines. To conduct their research, the group used a kind of puffer fish called a grass puffer (Takifugu alboplumbeus). Now, in a new study published in Scientific Reports, researchers at Nagoya University in central Japan have proposed that puffer fish use these toxin analogs to communicate using smell. However, though its purpose is unclear, puffer fish also have analogs of TTX that are non-toxic. Such a terrible event can happen because the fish’s liver and ovaries contain a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX). Improperly prepared puffer fish can cause the person eating it to experience food poisoning and a swift death. Newswise - A delicacy in Japanese cuisine, puffer fish ( fugu) also contain a lethal toxin.
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