iW 



listribution - Philippines, Borneo, Celebes, Inner South Seas 



lorphology - Body a dark red-brown with small scattered dark blue spots. These 

 ire rather indistinct in large specimens. Grows very large, ordinarily about 1 

 neter, occasionally close to 2 meters in length. 



Toxicity * Tfaree out of 10 mice used were affected to some degree, and one 

 died. (The animals were not tested for mild sensory impairment.) 



This species also caused some diarrhea. 



A case iras reported of poisoning in human beings in which the fish was stewed 

 Ln soy sauce amd one slice was eaten for supper. Dtiring the night vomiting and 

 liarrbea began. The next moring the victim's Joints were stiff and he experienced 

 iifficulty in walking. In another case the tongue and the area around the mouth 

 became ntimb and stiffened. A person irtio had been poisoned by this species at 

 Okinawa recalled that it caused vomiting and diarrhea and that he felt numb for 

 [p. 74] about a week afterward. No case iras reported in which the poison was fatal 

 [Tables 71, 72, 73] 



This species is thought to be of a mild degree of toxicity, only rare cases 

 being reported of a strong degree. 



The following very similar edible fish is cited for purposes of identifi- 

 cation* 

 [Page 75] 



3. Yogorehata (Plate 15 Figure 42) 



Scientific name - Plectropomus sp. 



Local name - joanuron (a variety of jowe or joie ), tamakai (Japanese) 



Characteristics - Very similar to the preceding species; it can be distinguished 



by its larger spots. The groxmd color is brighter in this species. It is sold 



Ln the markets as an edible fish and is nonpoisonous . The Japanese call it 



tamakai and prize it &8 food. The flesh is white and is very good sliced and served 



paw or stewed in soy sauce, since it is quite oily. The word jowe or joie is used 

 irery broadly at Jaluit, being equivalent to hata or t amakai [general teins for 

 serranids], and includes both poisonous and nonpoisonous species. 

 [Table 74] 



4. Amadaredokuhata (Plate 16 Figure 43) 



Scientific name - Plectropomus oligacanldius Bleeker 

 Local name - Julae' ~i(^rshalle8e) 



, Distribution - Indism Ocean, E. Indies, Philippines, Inner South Seas 

 Morphology - Uie markings are distinctive, blue lines and spots on a blaokish- 

 ji Drown grovind color. On the head and back the blue lines run roughly horizontally. 

 The spots are either scattered over the sides of the body, or form vertical rows 

 (treuiaversely across the body) posterior to the pectoral fin. There are hori- 

 zontal lines on the soft parts of the dorsal and anal fins. 



Toxicity . Judging from the results of all the experiments on animals, except 

 Ln the case of a mouse which ate the liver, this species is violently poisonous. 



The Jaluit natives consider this fish deadly and do not eat it. It is 

 readily taken on hook and line and abovmds near the encircling reefs, but no cases 

 jPage 76] 

 [Table 75] of poisoning were reported, probably because its coloring is so distinotive. 



43 



