42 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL. MUSEUM vol. 66 



TETRAODON HISPIDUS Linnaeus. 



This fish is very common at Honolulu and its flesh has the reputa- 

 tion of being highly poisonous, producing the dreaded disorder 

 known in Cuba as Ciguatera. It is, however, brought into the 

 markets, where it is skinned and the viscera removed, the flesh itself 

 being regarded as innocuous. Fishermen say that the poison is in 

 the gall bladder. The pathology of Ciguatera is much in need of 

 study. 



This fish is generally known as Tctraodon hispidus though it may 

 not be the same as the original hispidus of Linnaeus. This is based 

 on a specimen brought by Magnus Lagerstrom from China. 



Dr. Einar Lonnberg, who has examined this type,^^ saj^^s of it: 



" The type of Tetraodon hispidus Linnaeus is probably tlie same 

 species as T. hispidus of other authoi's, but it can not be proved 

 certain without comparison with other types. The spines of the belly 

 are rather long and like bristles. The specimen is discolored." In view 

 of this statement it is doubtless safest to retain the same hispidus, 

 rather than exchange one doubtful opinion for another. The next 

 name in point of time after hispidus is apparently Tetraodon per- 

 spiciUaris Riippell, from the Red Sea, which agrees fairly with 

 Hawaiian examples. Ocoides erethizon Jordan and Gilbert from 

 Panama is c rtainly the Hawaiian fish. 



This species is not T. iinplutus Jenyns, nor T . laterna Richardson. 

 Bleeker regards these as identical but figures the species as having 

 the pale spots ringed with black, which is not the case with the Ha- 

 Avaiian form. 



The stripes on the belly in T. hispidus, black anteriorly, yellow 

 farther back, vary much wdth age, often fading as the fish grows 

 older. 



There is some variation in the coloration of this fish in Hawaiian 

 waters, some individuals having few large round white spots on a 

 dark background to others with the back covered with many smaller, 

 pearly bluish spots. These forms can not be farther separated, but 

 no examples from Hawaii are without white spots. 



Genus LIOSACCUS Gunther 



LIOSACCUS CUTANEUS Gunther. 



Recorded by Fowler. 



Genus CANTHIGASTER Swainson 



CANTHIGASTER MARGARITATUS (Gunther). 



Recorded by Fowler. 



a Kong. Svensk Vet.-Akad., Haudl., vol. 2, pp. 22, 30. 



