Systematics of the Pufferfish Genus Arothron

本研究旨在厘清河豚属的系统分类。该属代表性动物的骨学检查表明，与四齿兽科其他属相比，其头盖骨具有明显的特征。从印度-太平洋的热带地区收集的这一属的每一种的许多标本进行了检查，以研究分类问题。这项研究发现了三个新物种。第一个新物种是从南非附近的海域捕获的。这一物种与Arothron inconditus密切相关，但区别于它的是身体上没有条纹或斑纹。第二个新物种是从西印度洋向东至马绍尔群岛的印度洋-太平洋的珊瑚礁中采集的。这个物种在颜色上与Arothron mappa相似，但它与后者的不同之处在于它的眼睛周围有几条深色的环绕线。Arothron mappa没有这些线，但在眼睛周围有许多暗辐射线。第三个新种采自冲绳。该物种与Arothron hispidus和A. reticularis相对相似，但与这两个物种不同的是，它的身体上有许多不规则的白色线条。详细研究了黄竹和网黄竹在分类上的混淆。以前的研究人员通过对尾柄长度和深度的比例测量来区分它们。然而，对这两个物种的许多标本的研究表明，这一特征并不表明它们之间有明显的区别。棘的分布和鳃口周围的黑色斑点清楚地区分了这两个物种。

This research was made to clarify the systematics of the pufferfish genus Arothron. Osteological examinations of representative of this genus showed that Arothron has distinct characters in its cranium when compared to the other genera of the family Tetraodontidae.Many specimens of every species of this genus collected from the tropical regions of the Indo-Pacific were examined to study taxonomic problems. This research resulted in finding three new species. The first new species was taken from the seas around South Africa. This species is closely related to Arothron inconditus but distinguished from it by having no stripes or markings on the body. The second new species was collected from coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific from the western Indian Ocean eastward to the Marshall Islands. This species is similar to Arothron mappa in color, but it is different from the latter by having several dark encircling lines around the eye. Arothron mappa does not have these lines but possess many dark radiating lines around the eye. The third new species were collected from Okinawa. This species is relatively similar to Arothron hispidus and A. reticularis, but it differs from these two species in having many irregular white lines on the body.Detailed studies were made to clarify taxonomic confusions in Arothron hispidus and A. reticularis. Previous researchers separated them by the proportional measurements of the length and depth of the caudal peduncle. However, the examination on many specimens of the two species showed that this character does not indicate a clear difference between them. The spine distribution and black blotch around the gill opening clearly differentiate the two species.