Studies on resource potential and diversity of puffer fishes along Digha coast, West Bengal, India

The present study describes the distribution of puffer fishes from the coastal belt of Digha (between 21°32´N to 21°45´N latitude and 87°32´E to 87°50´E longitude) in West Bengal along the east coast of India. The puffer fishes were collected by trawling from three different stations (Digha mohona, Sankarpur, Soula). During this survey, 7 different species from 5 genera under the order Tetraodontiformes belonging to the family Tetraodontidae was identified viz, Arothron stellatus, Arothron immaculatus, Chelonodon patoca, Lagocephalus inermis, Lagocephalus lunaris, Takifugu oblongus, Tetraodon fluviatilis. The present study revealed that three puffer fishes were distributed mostly viz, Lagocephalus lunaris (51.49%), Takifugu oblongus (27.02%), Tetraodon fluviatilis (13.55%) and rest of the puffers are very few viz, Arothron stellatus (2.09%), Arothron immaculatus (0.28%), Chelonodon patoca (1.50%), Lagocephalus inermis (4.07%). Lagocephalus lunaris was recorded maximum from this coastal region. This study also summarized the distribution as well as seasonal abundance and diversity indices of the available puffer fish species.